Thursday of the First Week of Lent

1 March 2012

Our story today is about the binding of Isaac.
The scriptural parallel for this story can be found in Genesis 22.

"After these things occurred, God tested Abraham, and he said to him, “Abraham, Abraham.” And he answered, “Here I am.” He said to him: “Take your only begotten son Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of vision. And there you shall offer him as a holocaust upon one of the mountains, which I will show to you.” And so Abraham, getting up in the night, harnessed his donkey, taking with him two youths, and his son Isaac. And when he had cut wood for the holocaust, he traveled toward the place, as God had instructed him. Then, on the third day, lifting up his eyes, he saw the place at a distance. And he said to his servants: “Wait here with the donkey. I and the boy will hurry further ahead to that place. After we have worshipped, will return to you.” He also took the wood for the holocaust, and he imposed it upon his son Isaac. And he himself carried in his hands fire and a sword. And as the two continued on together, Isaac said to his father, “My father.” And he answered, “What do you want, son?” “Behold,” he said, “fire and wood. Where is the victim for the holocaust?” But Abraham said, “God himself will provide the victim for the holocaust, my son.” Thus they continued on together. And they came to the place that God had shown to him. There he built an altar, and he set the wood in order upon it. And when he had bound his son Isaac, he laid him on the altar upon the pile of wood. And he reached out his hand and took hold of the sword, in order to sacrifice his son. And behold, an Angel of the Lord called out from heaven, saying, “Abraham, Abraham.” And he answered, “Here I am.” And he said to him, “Do not extend your hand over the boy, and do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, since you have not spared your only begotten son for my sake.” Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw behind his back a ram among the thorns, caught by the horns, which he took and offered as a holocaust, instead of his son. And he called the name of that place: ‘The Lord Sees.’ Thus, even to this day, it is said: ‘On the mountain, the Lord will see.’ Then the Angel of the Lord called out to Abraham a second time from heaven, saying: “By my own self, I have sworn, says the Lord. Because you have done this thing, and have not spared your only begotten son for my sake, I will bless you, and I will multiply your offspring like the stars of heaven, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies. And in your offspring, all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you obeyed my voice.”

Readings for the Day:
     Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25
     Psalms 138: 1-3, 7-8
     Matthew 7:7-12

Collect for the Day:
"Bestow on us, we pray, O Lord, a spirit of always pondering on what is right and of hastening to carry it out, and since without you we cannot exist, may we be enabled to live according to your will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."