Put to the Test
By Mike Lambrecht
In the first reading today we heard how “God put Abraham to the test.”1 Testing is nothing new to most of us. We took tests in school, tests to learn to drive, we’re tested at work, and, most importantly, we are tested daily in our faith when things are not going our way.
Naturally, most of us do not like to be tested, especially by God. We are usually content in living our lives provided no major challenges present themselves to us. As long as we have our health, the health of those dear to us, and enough money to cover our bills, we are generally happy and it is fairly easy to remain faithful to God.
However, the true measure of our faith comes to light when we are faced with difficulties in our life. The death of a loved one, the loss of a job, our own deteriorating health, or any other number of calamities can turn our world upside down in the blink of an eye. But how do we respond to these tests?
Do we remain faithful as Abraham did even when asked to sacrifice his only son or do we give up and tell the Lord that he is asking too much of us? Often, when we reflect on the story of Abraham, we cannot fathom how God would even ask such a thing. How could an all-loving God order a man to sacrifice his only son?
Unquestionably, we can try to rationalize this in light of the ending—we know that God sends an angel to stop Abraham from killing his son. But is this a satisfying answer? Some people, like the philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, find this sorely lacking and get stuck on this very question.3
But, do you see the irony in this? We can lose faith in God because we do not understand his ways. We forget what the prophet Isaiah tells us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD.”4 As Paul Harvey often said, we must hear “the rest of the story.” The rest of the story is that, while we cannot fathom the faith it would take to offer up our own children, our Lord and God loves us so much that He sacrificed His only Son for us. We hear this so frequently that we often fail to ponder on it the amount that it deserves.
The catechism tells us, “Even though enlightened by him in whom it believes, faith is often lived in darkness and can be put to the test. The world we live in often seems very far from the one promised us by faith.”2 Let us hope and pray that as we undertake our minor tests of fasting, abstinence, and prayer during this Lenten season, we may be strengthened to face any trials that the Lord may place before us in this life, so that we may live forever with Him in the next.
1 Genesis 22:1
2 CCC paragraph 164
3 Kierkegaard, Soren. Fear and Trembling.
4 Isaiah 55:8