prostrate and laugh

Genesis 17:1, 9-10, 15-22; Psalm 128 See how the Lord blesses those who fear him; Mt 8:1-4

As we continue to read the unfolding of God's plan with Abraham and interesting thing happens.  

God appeared to Abraham and in this apparition, God informs Abraham that not only will He Give Abraham a son at a ripe old age of 100 but his wife at a ripe old age of 90 shall bear this son forth.  

What was Abraham's reaction? Well as we read in scripture, Abraham " prostrated himself and laughed and said to himself Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Or can Sarah give birth at ninety?"

Abraham prostrated and laughed to himself.  What a reaction from our father in faith.  Abraham's faith is considered to be a model for all, yet we find that in the midst of believing he also was unsure about God's request.  His faith didn't waver but his mind sometimes just could not comprehend.  But he allowed his faith to see him through.  He did not trust in reason or in his own intellect but rather he trusted that the light of faith would help lead him through the darkness of his own understanding. Thus he kept walking forth in God's presence.

In prostrating first, Abraham shows that faith must be first.  He illustrates that reason is subordinate to faith and it is fortified by faith.  Where our reason can no longer be stretched faith continues forth.  It is faith that allows our reason and understanding never to be stagnant or just reduced to the limits of our own minds.  If our life was limited to our own minds, we would all be imprisoned.  It is faith that gives us freedom from ourselves.  In faith we are no longer bound to the confines of our cerebral folds or grey matter.  We reach new heights.

What was God's reaction.  He did not smite Abraham for laughing.  He did not get angry for his inability to comprehend.  Rather God simply responds, "nevertheless, your wife is to bear you a son."  "Nevertheless," it shall be done whether you comprehend or not.  God does not limit his action in our life based on our ability to comprehend or understand.  He doesn't limit his action in the world by the boundaries of our darken intellect.  He simply laughs back and moves forth with a confident "nevertheless."  

In today's gospel we encounter Jesus once again being harangued by crowds.  He is constantly being crowded in on all sides.  Yet, the crowds do not affect His mercy or his gentle love.  He makes room for all of them.  His heart is wide open.  

As He comes down the mountain the leper comes forth and gives him homage and makes his request, "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean."  The leper is led by faith.  Nothing in his history tells him that man can heal his wounded life and scarred flesh.  His mind is unable to comprehend his request, yet, his faith issues forth and keeps his feet from stumbling or straying.  Like Abraham he initiates this encounter with an act of worship.  

Worship is the oil that keeps the light of faith burning.  In the darkest of times it is worship that brightens our life like  the light just before dawn, darkness scatters. 

Jesus responds to such faith, "Be clean."

I came across a quote recently by a man I do not know, who was describing his motivation in life.  He states this, "the only measurement I had in assessing what we should be involved in was: 'Is this something Jesus would do? Or something God would want done?'  Ultimately it boiled down to this, as I wrote in my bible in a prayer to God, 'let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God."

Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.  As you read scripture, watch who Jesus interacts with and how he reaches out to them.  Here we discover not only what breaks the heart of God, but also what should break ours.  

Jesus stretched out his hand and touched the leper.  May we never short arm anyone.  May our hands always stretch out and thus allow the heart of God to enter into our own. 

prayer from this morning

"Lord, fill our hearts with your love as morning fills the sky..."

(the above picture was taken here in the desert yesterday.  The rainbow brightens the desert in the distance.  A bright spot in the barren desert.  Faith in the midst of our own darken intellect.)