In some ways I think both our readings
today speak to Anne Lamott’s thoughts about God. The story of Abraham told by
God to sacrifice his son Isaac, (Gen. 22: 1b-19) has always been an intriguing one.
I was thinking this morning of all the parents I have encountered in my life
and I would have to stay 99% of them would have found God’s request troubling
if not impossible. But as Lamott says, if God is going to do something amazing
and or wonderful God starts with hardship and the impossible. It was certainly
a hardship for Abraham and maybe if you think about it from a parent’s
perspective it was an impossibility. Yet, that is where God started and from
Abraham’s faithfulness and trust something wonderful and amazing unfolded.
We might look at the Gospel (Matt.
9:1-8) in the same way. Jesus seemly, at least for the scribes, starts with an
impossibility, forgiving sins which leads to another impossibility the healing
of a paralytic. Yet from these two seemly impossible actions the hardship of
sinfulness and a physical disability are taken away, in other words something
amazing and wonderful takes place.
The key to both of our stories is faith
and faithfulness, Abraham’s faith, the paralytic and his friends’ faith and God’s
faithfulness. Perhaps faith and faithfulness are key words for our celebration
as a nation today. On this Fourth of July we honor and value the faith and
faithfulness of those who founded this country. They began with what seemed like
an impossibility and a great hardship and here we are 237 years later
celebrating a nation which at times is truly amazing and wonderful.
Perhaps was we journey through this day
all parents should give pause to look at their children and realize by having
them God has tested your faithfulness, may the hardships and the
impossibilities of watching them grow be the very faith and hopefulness of amazement
and wonder.
And that we as a nation might take pause
to look at our life through the lens of hardship and impossibility and realize
what we have because of the faithfulness of those who have gone before us.
Daily Prayer: Search us today,
O God, and know our hearts; test us and know our thoughts and action. See if
there are any wicked ways in us. If there are forgive us. If there are heal us.
May we always be truly faithful so that you can lead us down the path of wonder
and amazement. Amen!
Runner’s Thought: Let’s make our
run today be footprints around God’s world!
Happy 4th of July everyone!
Have a wonderful day hopefully with family and/or friends, with good food, good
drink, good fun and that a little time to be thankful for all the gifts you
have around you. Try at least for one day to not look are the negative but at
the positive. Try to see hope and disappear. Try to believe that the impossible
can become of the possible. Look around you with wonder and amazement and not
cynicism and negativity! Party, celebrate and drive safe today. Enjoy the
fireworks if they are near you. And know that were ever you are, whatever you
are doing and whomever you are with – you are in my prayers today and always!
Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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