Word to the Wise
Friday, June 26, 2015 - Friday in the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gen 17:1, 9-10, 15-22 and Matt 8:1-4]Abraham prostrated himself and laughed as he said to himself, "Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Or can Sarah give birth at ninety?"
The grand narrative of God's plan of salvation contains many wonderful scenes that help us to put together the big picture as well as learn important lessons from details that will be useful later on. On the big picture level today, there is the issue of the continuation of the covenant relationship. This has already been a bumpy ride with Sarah and Hagar battling it out over Ishmael. Abraham assumes this will blow over and Ishmael will take his place, but, as we discover time and time again in the narrative, God has other plans. Abraham and Sarah will conceive a child to be named Isaac, who will carry on with the covenant. Ishmael, however, will not be forgotten, and this is a very important point for Islam!
On the smaller level, there is Abraham who bargains with God. He and Moses are special spiritual heroes to me because they dare to bargain with God. Abraham thinks God is being funny about him and Sarah having a child, but God (maybe amused at this wily desert character) insists. In fact, the name Isaac means, "God laughed." We can bargain, perhaps effectively, but God will always have the last word!
Last, but not least, the plan of salvation will involve a number of "improbable pregnancies." Sarah's pregnancy is no less improbable than Elizabeth's or Mary's. What happens a thousand years ago or more means little in terms of time for God. The Old Testament echoes loudly throughout the New. AMEN