Genesis 22:1-2.10-13.15-18; Psalms 116; Romans 8:31-34; Mk 9:2-10
Sacrifice
Dear friends, in our lives, we make many sacrifices both big and small either for our own gain or for the gain of those that we love. When we are in school, we sacrifice sleep and leisure to have more time to acquire knowledge for a better future. If we want to be successful in business, we must make certain sacrifices. Good relationships too demand sacrifices from both parties. Parents make huge sacrifices for their children. Indeed, there is nothing good, which comes without some sort of sacrifice.
As we have seen, sacrifice is common in our lives. However, sacrificing all one has is not something that we come across every day. In our time, sacrifice is something that people try to avoid as much as possible. Nevertheless, we are ready to sacrifice others for our personal gain. Politicians sacrifice the public’s interest to enrich themselves or gain political capital. Some offer their own kin as sacrifices in some dark ceremonies to get quick riches. We are called to sacrifice our time, resources, comfort, energy, etc., for the sake of a good cause. Have I ever sacrificed anything for the sake of the good of others?
In the first reading today, we hear God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son, the one he had gotten in his old age. This story may seem an old tale and we may think that biblical figures like Abraham were extraordinary people. Those familiar with Abraham’s life story will understand how difficult and overwhelming this was for him. He lived his prime life as a very wealthy but sad man because he had no child to inherit him. Having an heir was something very important for the posterity of the patriarchs. Not having one was even considered as a curse. Nevertheless, Abraham did not refuse to do as God had commanded him. He kept faith in God just as he had done before getting a son. By asking Abraham to sacrifice his only son, God wanted to know if Abraham was faithful because he wanted a son or if his faith was beyond his needs. Today, many people go to worship only when they are seeking something from God. As soon as they get it, they do not go back. Are you that kind of a worshipper?
If it were you and I today, would we have passed the test? The only way to know if something is genuine is by subjecting it to a test. In big factories, the resilience of some products is subjected to huge force to test their breaking point against the standard one. If it breaks before reaching the required tension, the whole bunch is discarded as unfit for the market. Has my faith been tested? How much spiritual tension can I withstand before breaking (turning away from God)?
Abraham’s sacrifice was a prefiguration of God’s sacrifice of his only begotten Son Jesus Christ. In the second reading, Paul tells us that for the sake of our salvation, God did not spare his own son. If God is on our side, we need not worry about the challenges we face in our lives. We just need to be loyal and faithful to him just like Abraham. If we are confident in the love of God, it does not matter whether we live or die.
In the Gospel today, God reveals his relationship with Jesus to the disciples just a few days before Jesus was crucified. They were given a foretaste of what was awaiting those who would sacrifice all for the sake of the kingdom of God. The disciples were so overtaken by the glory they were beholding that Peter wanted this to remain permanent. However, they had to go down the mountain and shut their mouth until the right time. First, they had to witness the price they had to pay to attain such glory.
Many of us today only do the bare minimum of our Christian obligations and convince ourselves that we are fit for eternal glory. We want to remain on top of the mountain a foretaste of the life to come that we received when we were baptized. However, we must go down the mountain of life and live our baptism promises so that when we die, we will attain the ultimate glory. Going down the mountain is making all the sacrifices demanded by our faith every day until we die. It is feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, welcoming strangers, visiting the sick and those imprisoned, and being kind to others. We cannot purport to be followers of Christ when all we ever do is for our own good at the expense of the good of others. We cannot bribe God with our large offerings and contributions if we do not keep his commandments. God is more interested in our faithfulness to his commandments and our sacrifices for the sake of the common good than in our offerings and contributions. He does not live on our offerings. And for our information, large offerings and big contributions are not sacrifices?
My dear friends, as we get deeper into this Lenten observance, I invite us to introspect and see, if God had to test us today, would we pass the test as Abraham did?
Have a blessed Sunday.
Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD
SVD JAMBO KENTAN 