SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT, YR C
Gen. 15:5-12, 17-18; Ps 27
Phil 3:17-4:1; Lk 9:28b-36
ABRAM BELIEVED GOD
The first reading records not the first time God spoke to Abram but the first time he responds to God verbally. This creates the atmosphere then for some dialogue. It began with God assuring Abram of the promise of blessing him. Abram laments that God has not given him a son and Eliezer, his servant, would inherit him. In response, God led him out to have a vision of how numerous his descendants will be.
He led Abram outside and said to him, “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.”(Gen 15:5).
Against the real facts of Abram’s life (that he was old and had no son) God promised him the abundance of descendants. Sometimes when the facts of our lives overwhelm us, they tend to cloud out the hope and promise of God’s blessing. But God is ever faithful. He never promises what he cannot give. We must never lose hope in him. He never frets at challenges because he has the power to change situations and he will change them in our favour.
When Abram looked up to count the stars, he believed God and he counted it to him for righteousness. This is a very important point when we put it in its right context. God led Abram out while the sun was still up and asked him to count the stars. Surely, the stars will be invisible during the day. The invisibility of the stars indicates how numerous his descendants will be. They will be so many that they cannot be counted.
But who can count stars during the day? Only the one with faith. Even though he could not see the stars, he trusted that they were there. Although he and his wife were old, he knew he could believe in God’s promise and his Word. It was for this incredible faith that the Lord counted him as righteous.
It is this faith of Abram that we are all called to. Indeed, we are called believers for this reason; we live by faith. We do not have faith because it makes sense or because it is logical but because God has said so. When reason pronounces an end, faith commences a beginning; when reason shuts the door, faith flings it open. To have faith means that we replace proof and facts with trust in God.
It is not always easy to trust God or to exercise faith in the face of our challenges and troubles. Sometimes we feel that to exercise faith means to do nothing. But on the other side it means to put our burdens in the hands of the one who alone can help us and fix us. The words of the writer of proverbs are true, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Prov. 3:5).
After the word of prophesy regarding the future of Abram’s descendants, God completes a covenant with him. Abram had slaughtered and split animals into two with one on the left and the other on the right for the covenant. At sunset, Abram fell asleep from the exhaustion of trying to keep the birds of prey away. When it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch that passed through the pieces of the animals. The pot and the flame represent the presence of God.
In most covenants and agreements, there are elements of obligation and punishment for the party that does not undertake his obligation. In this sacrifice, by walking in between the animals, the parties to the covenant were accepting that what happened to the animals should happen to them when they do not fulfil their obligations under the covenant.
Abram did not walk through the animals, God alone did. He takes the burden of self-destruction if he does not fulfil his promise to Abram. The fulfilment of the promise is entirely upon him. He will do anything and everything to save us and to bless us.
In the fulness of time he sent Jesus as the final pledge of his saving, redeeming and blessing of all those who are borne of the faith of Abram. In the saving action of Jesus, in his broken body, God will fulfil his Word in your life.
May the Lord grant us this incredible faith of Abram and may he show us his blessing and mercy through the passion of Jesus who died for us all.
God bless you.
BY Rev. Fr. Delight Arnold Carbonu
