Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

 

In today’s passage from Galatians, Paul is presenting an intricate thread of evidence from scripture (the Old Testament) to prove that justification (being accepted by God) comes through faith and not by observing the Law of Moses. The Galatians were seeking to be justified (to be accepted by God) by observing certain precepts of the Law.

Paul weaves together five scripture quotations to prove his point, but I will focus only on the first: “Through [Abraham] shall all the nations be blessed.” (Gal 3:8, quoting Gen 12:3)

Paul begins with Abraham, the great patriarch of Israel, who had faith and was blessed by God. Have you heard the song from vacation Bible school about Abraham and all his children? It goes like this:

Father Abraham had many sons
Many sons had Father Abraham
I am one of them and so are you
So let’s all praise the Lord!

Abraham had really only two sons, Ishmael and Isaac, but he is considered the father of all who have faith—and of those who have faith, there are many, both sons and daughters.

But why is Abraham considered our father in faith? You were probably told the story in CCD class long ago, but let’s recap. God called Abram from his homeland and promised to give him a new land and many descendants. But Abram and his wife Sarai grew old and were without children. Still, God promised them many descendants, as numerous as the stars. And this was Abram’s reaction: “Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.” (Gen 15:6) Abram’s faith in God’s promises was the right reaction, and so faith became the exemplary bond between God and human beings.

Also, God had blessed Abram, saying “All the families of the earth will find blessing in you.” (Gen 12:3b) Because Abraham believed God, and God was pleased with this, Abraham became a blessing to all the nations, to all the families of the earth.

Faith is the first step towards God, but many of us are afraid to take it. We like certainty, and we don’t like to be wrong. ‘What if there is no God?’ Well, what if there is? That’s why it’s called faith. It is not unreasonable. Those who have faith are blessed and also justified (accepted by God), just as Abraham was.

Reflection by Br. Luke Kral, OSB