Sometimes when I read the story of the testing of Abraham, I try to avoid its horrifying implications: Will God ever ask the same as me?Most of the time, however, I wistfully brush it aside with the calm assurance that he will never ask me to place my son on the altar. Then, just when I have almost completely suppressed this story, I stumble across an icon of The Seven Sons (2 Maccabees 7:1-42) and I am shaken.
Sometimes God does ask for everything!
Later on in the Scriptures we are told that Abraham was able to face this test because he was confident that God was able to raise the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19). It is this same faith that allowed the woman to encourage her seven sons to embrace death rather than become unfaithful to God under the Roman persecution.
Abraham and the woman could remain faithful because they believed that God had power over the grave!
"Lord, so impress upon me the reality of the resurrection that I might entrust the son of my love to you - the Resurrection and the Life! Amen."
Today's Readings: Sunday, March 12th, 2006.
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