December 06: Isaac
Traditional Ornament: Ram
Reading: Genesis 22: 1-18
“Abraham named that place Yahweh-yireh; hence people today say, ‘On the mountain the Lord will provide’.” (Genesis 22:14)
Abraham and Sarah had waited a long time for a child. To say that Isaac was the “apple of his father’s eye” would be an understatement. If we read today’s Scripture passage without any context, what God commands of Abraham seems beyond cruel; God submits Abraham to a trial, directing him to sacrifice his only son. But, if we’ve been following the story, we know that God is revealing something about Himself and His Son, and His plan for us. Abraham’s trial foreshadows our Heavenly Father’s great love for us when He sacrificed His only begotten Son on the cross.
The story is rich with parallels. Isaac carries the wood for the fire, just as Christ carried his own cross. Isaac does not protest when his father binds him on the altar, just as Christ perfectly obeyed his Father. An innocent animal was substituted as the sacrifice, just as Christ, who was innocent of all sin, died for our sins. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
© 2017 Catechist’s Aide
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