I have to admit, the story of Abraham almost sacrificing his
son Isaac, which we heard yesterday at Mass for the second Sunday of Lent, is
one of my least favorite scripture passages. I don’t like the idea of God asking Abraham to kill his
son. Historically, we don’t know
what really happened, but in the story handed down to us - Abraham at least thought God was asking him to do
this. It certainly would have been
common among his Canaanite neighbors.
So what does this have to do with discerning a religious
vocation? It can feel like God is
asking us to give up our own Isaac as we ponder religious life. Have you said to God, “No, I can
absolutely not give THAT up!” It
might be the idea of getting married and having children. It might be the idea of giving up a
flourishing career. It might be
the thought of leaving family and friends behind. One of my Isaac’s
was giving up my independence. You mean I’m supposed to be obedient to
someone else?
The point of this story about Abraham is not about God
demanding something horrible and totally un-Godlike. The point is Abraham’s obedience to God. It is his willingness to return
everything God had given him, including his only son. This is what we are supposed to learn from.
If asked to give up our
Isaac for a religious vocation, God will return the hundredfold. We cannot outdo God in generosity.
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