JESUS SAW THEIR FAITH…

Genesis 22:1-19

1 After these things God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off.5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the ass; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.”
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 
7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. 9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.

10 Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.14 So Abraham called the name of that place The LORD will provide; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
15 And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven,
16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son,
17 I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies,
18 and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.”
19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beer-sheba.

Matthew 9:1-8

1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.”
4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk?
6 But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”–he then said to the paralytic–“Rise, take up your bed and go home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.  
MEDITATION

THE BOOK OF GENESIS records the obedience and faithfulness of Abraham who passed God’s test when he trusted in God’s Divine Providence on the matter of the Sacrificial act that he was called to perform. Isaac was well aware of the mission that laid before them thus he believed and trusted his father’s intuition and faith in God! Isaac raised a logical question, which his father answered with conviction and assurance that God shall make provision!

This event inaugurated the old covenant sacrificial offering. Elements such as the; wooden altar, knife, lamb, thicket and fire are typological figures that match the: wooden cross, nails,crown of thorns used to humiliate, injure and exert pain and suffering upon Christ who died for our sins! 1 Cor 15:3 The outpouring of fire of the Holy Spirit finalized the New Covenant promise to deliver the people.

THE GOSPEL READING: portray the occasion when a paralyzed man was brought to Jesus for healing. Our Lord diagnosed that the real reason for the mans debilitating condition that rendered him inert was caused by a life of sin, which necessitated the absolution of the mans sins! Blasphemy, a term that describe an act or word that “curse” God is used to object against Jesus’ act of forgiveness which called for the death sentence! Lev 24:10-16 
Jesus realized that the peoples trust and faith in God was primarily centered on miracles of outward healing and material reward rather than to be reconciled to God which can only be obtained from the Sacrament of reconciliation or confession whereby God forgive our sins ‘in persona christi! Since Christ died for our sins two thousand years ago, it surely stand to reason that we require an earthly mediator whose lineage can be traced back to Christ who instituted the Sacrament of grace and deliverance.Jn 20:23 The true demonstration and living out our faith, is when we submit ourselves to Christ by presenting ourselves to a priest to cleanse us from our causal injuries and paralysis brought about by sin.

LET US PRAY: Psalms 115:1-6,8-9

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to thy name give glory, for the sake of thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness!
2 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3 Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. 8 Those who make them are like them; so are all who trust in them. 9 O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.

Author. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days