5 Jul
Thu 		13th Week in Ordinary Time
St Anthony Zaccaria, priest
Gen. 22:1-19
Ps. 115:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
Mt. 9:1-18
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The story of the testing of Abraham's faith is mysterious and difficult to understand. If God is the Lord of life, why should He demand the death of Isaac?

Whatever the historical basis of the story is, it has great symbolic and parabolic value for us who share the faith inheritance of Abraham. Like Abraham, we must learn to trust and believe even when we do not understand.

With trust in God, Abraham had left his homeland. Again he had trusted God to fulfil his promise. God did indeed fulfill His promise. Beyond all human expectations, God had given him a son, Isaac. Was God now going back on His word? When the promises seemed impossible, Abraham had learned to trust. Now God's demand seemed senseless and contradictory. Abraham had to learn to trust again. Abraham had to learn that even in a contradictory situation like the sacrificing of Isaac, God would ultimately prove indeed to be the God of life. No matter what the sacrifice of Isaac seemed to mean, Abraham had to learn that those who trust in the Lord will always walk in the land of the living.


Lord, may I always walk in Your presence in the land of the living.

DAILY OFFERING
Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
INTENTION
That the Gospel, may be read and lived in Christian families by parents and children, so that they may bear witness to the hope of Christ
Elaboration

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P R A Y I N G    W I T H    T H E    C H U R C H    

INTENTION : That the Gospel, may be read and lived in Christian families by parents and children, so that they may bear witness to the hope of Christ

Abraham and Mary received a wonderful promise from God. For both Abraham and Mary, the divine promise came as something completely unexpected. God disrupted the daily course of their lives, overturning its settled rhythms and conventional expectations. The promise seemed impossible. We must learn to walk in darkness.

Modelling ourselves on Mary, we ask her to help us look at and to listen to, to ponder and to penetrate the deep and mysterious meaning of the very simple, very humble and very beautiful appearing of the Son of God. We pray for a great renewal of faith in all the children of the Church everywhere to preach the good news to the poor. We ask her to teach us the way of humble and joyful obedience to the Gospel in the service of our brothers and sisters, without preferences and without prejudices. A deep renewal that is not just reflected in a general attitude to life, but as a conscious and courageous profession of the Creed. We ask the Holy Family to inspire all Christians to defend the family against so many present-day threats to its nature, its stability and its mission. We pray the efforts of Christians and of all people of good will to defend life and to promote respect for the dignity of every human being.



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