Of whom all is asked--
All will be given.
Homily by Father Ed Moloney
A few weeks back, three young men entered the seminary of Corpus Christi College.
Two of the young men left their family home to come to the seminary. Another of the First Year Group had left his home country and now finds himself in a seminary in another continent.
Life is full of ‘leavings’ for all of us. All of us must leave people, places and communities as our lives unfold. This is to fulfil not only our hopes and dreams, but to also fulfil our duties and responsibilities in order to live our vocation in life. Sometimes, the ‘leavings’ in life that we face are exciting, while others are painful.
Today we hear about Abram who would later be known as Abraham. He is chosen by God to leave his country, his land and his father’s house to follow the call of God. There were two things inherent in his call:
1. From God’s side: God would provide many blessings.
2. From Abraham’s side: He would face challenges that would ask of him everything, even surrendering his own will to the God who had called him.
Faith was the one ingredient Abraham would need to fulfil his call from God.
Last week in our seminary catechism class, we came across this question: What is faith? Abraham’s faith was certainly tested. As his life story unfolds in the Scriptures, we see his faith in God tested even beyond what seemed reasonable.
How must he have felt as he walked up the mountain with Isaac, after God had asked him to sacrifice this only son, which would test the depth of his faith? Isaac saw that his father had the wood for the fire, but no animal. Then Isaac asks the question: “Where is the lamb we are going to sacrifice, Dad?” How must Abraham have felt at this moment? At the last moment God provides a ram for the sacrifice, but not before he has tested where Abraham’s loyalties lie. Abraham’s faith in God was unshakable. He was even prepared to give of his only son in obedience to God.
Another incident that tested Abraham’s faith in God were his herds and descendants growing in number. There was a dispute among his own herdsmen and the herdsmen of his nephew Lot, as the number of stock to feed had grown too large. Abraham in his wisdom decided they should split. At the top of the mountain they looked to one side where there was the Jordan which was choice, fertile, green land. To the other side was Canaan, a land not so fertile.
Abraham gave the first choice to Lot. He said to Lot: If you take the left I will go to the right; If you take the right I will go to the left. Abraham trusted once again that God would provide and be faithful to his promise of blessings. Abraham was generous. And we know how the story unfolded, God was faithful to his promises and Abraham was blessed with land.
So friends, today as we reflect on God’s Word, we descendants of Abraham look to our father in faith. May he be our model as we say “Yes” to what God is asking of us at this time of our lives.
I would like to conclude with a reflection from a little book on the depth of faith required of those who wish to follow Jesus - the Son of God. Just as Abraham submitted himself in faith to God, may we in turn entrust ourselves in faith to Jesus on our journey, wherever that might lead us as our future unfolds. I share with you now the Reflection:
All is asked of him
to whom all will be given.
Where is giving up of self to end?
For each disciple, it is where God wills it.
The extreme sacrifices of property,
family life
and life itself
are not asked of everyone.
But each is asked to give what is asked by God for their state of life.
There is one thing for sure, as Abraham came to know:
All was asked of him,
But in turn --
all was given to him by our God of Blessings.