Thursday of the Fifth week of Lent
Commentary of the day
Origen (c.185-253), priest and theologian
Homilies on the book of Genesis, no. 8 ; SC 7
"Abraham rejoiced to see my day"
“God put Abraham to the test and said to him: 'Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and offer him up as a sacrifice on a height that I will show to you' ” (Gn 22,2). Notice how that same son on whom great and wonderful promises rested... Abraham received the command to offer in holocaust on a mountain to the Lord!
What do you feel about this command, Abraham?... The apostle Paul to whom, I think, the Spirit had revealed Abraham's thoughts and feelings, said: “Abraham did not doubt God's promises in unbelief when he offered up his only son Isaac on whom rested the promises for he reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead” (Rm 4,20; Heb 11,17.19)… This, then, was the first time when faith in the resurrection was shown. Yes, Abraham hoped Isaac would rise again and believed in the realization of something that had never happened before... Abraham knew that in him the prefiguration of a coming reality was already taking shape; he knew the Messiah, the true victim offered on behalf of the whole world, who was to triumph over death through his resurrection, would be born from his descendants.
“So early the next morning Abraham rose and... on the third day... came to the place of which God had told him.” The third day is always associated with mystery and... the Lord's resurrection in particular took place on the third day... “Abraham got sight of the place from afar. Then he said to his servants: 'Both of you stay here with the donkey, while the boy and I go over yonder. We will worship and then come back to you.'”... Now tell me, Abraham, were you speaking the truth to your servants when you stated you were going to worship and then return with the boy; or did you want to deceive them?... “I am telling the truth,” Abraham answers. “I am offering the boy in sacrifice , which is why I am bringing the wood with me. Then I am coming back to you with the boy. Truly, I believe with all my heart that 'God is sufficiently powerful to raise the dead.'”
| Thursday, April 10, 2014 Lenten Weekday |
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