Daily Retreat 10/10/08
2008 Oct 10 Fri: Ordinary Weekday
Gal 3: 7-14/ Ps 110(111): 1b-2. 3-4. 5-6/ Lk 11: 15-26
From today’s readings: “Realize that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham.... The Lord will remember His covenant for ever.... Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”
Children of Abraham
Abraham, the Old Testament patriarch, is recognized as our father in faith. Paul thus argues that the true children of Abraham are those who share his faith as their inheritance, even more so than those who follow the law of circumcision and other Jewish observances.
Recall that Abraham’s faith was an absolute trust in God’s promise and sovereignty, even to the point of willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac. So often our own faith is a mere shadow of that - we’re willing to surrender a small portion of our life and will to God, trusting Him to manage a few inconsequentials in our life, but still trying to rely on ourselves for what really matters.
But such an attitude excludes the great blessings of faith! If a person has complete faith in an airplane and its pilot, he can fly fast and far. But if his faith is rather timid, he might climb aboard the plane, but only for a practice takeoff and climb to a shallow “safe” height, followed by a quick landing before things get out of sight. Similarly, if our faith in God is absolute, we will receive the fullness of the blessings promised to Abraham and his children. But if our faith is tentative, we’ll keep bringing our spirit in for a landing before it’s had any chance to soar!
Gal 3: 7-14/ Ps 110(111): 1b-2. 3-4. 5-6/ Lk 11: 15-26
From today’s readings: “Realize that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham.... The Lord will remember His covenant for ever.... Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”
Children of Abraham
Abraham, the Old Testament patriarch, is recognized as our father in faith. Paul thus argues that the true children of Abraham are those who share his faith as their inheritance, even more so than those who follow the law of circumcision and other Jewish observances.
Recall that Abraham’s faith was an absolute trust in God’s promise and sovereignty, even to the point of willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac. So often our own faith is a mere shadow of that - we’re willing to surrender a small portion of our life and will to God, trusting Him to manage a few inconsequentials in our life, but still trying to rely on ourselves for what really matters.
But such an attitude excludes the great blessings of faith! If a person has complete faith in an airplane and its pilot, he can fly fast and far. But if his faith is rather timid, he might climb aboard the plane, but only for a practice takeoff and climb to a shallow “safe” height, followed by a quick landing before things get out of sight. Similarly, if our faith in God is absolute, we will receive the fullness of the blessings promised to Abraham and his children. But if our faith is tentative, we’ll keep bringing our spirit in for a landing before it’s had any chance to soar!
posted by FrPitstick | 10/08/2008
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