Genesis 17:3–9
John 8:51–59
This is Abraham’s Day in Lent. Clearly, Abraham is a key figure in the word we are hearing in the final stretch of our Lenten journey. Abraham was all about the future. The Abraham story has left his past behind. There is not one story about Abraham’s past. It is all about setting out. And it is not setting out for a planned future. It is setting out for what God will show him. Abraham’s future lies in following God’s word. Finally, God makes a covenant with Abraham. It is a covenant of promise, promise about the future, a covenant of word. And a grand future at that: the father of nations and a land where he could stay. Imagine–a future based on a promise to a childless husband and wife with no possible future. And yet that is God’s word, God’s promise. But this is Lent, letting go of the past and following the promise of God. It means trusting this God in the face of what in human terms is a dead end. Does God keep his promise? Sure every time there is trust in the face of the world’s foolishness. So Lent is about returning to trust in God’s word, and hearing that word in unexpected places.
Jesus understands himself as the One in whom Abraham hoped. Jesus notes that Abraham rejoiced and was glad when he saw Jesus. Abraham knew then that God was faithful to his word. The future was not a dead end. God is being God to Abraham’s descendants as he promised in covenant.
Jesus is no less about the future. “Whoever keeps my word will never see death.” Now one need not be a physical heir to Abraham. Now one need only keep the word of Abraham’s heir and the new life of the future will be yours. The future all hinges on keeping the word of this Jesus from Nazareth. Keeping this word open us up to the resurrection and its new life; it opens us up to the creative power of
the Word God sent to make all things new. It is this word that releases us from time and propels us into the future.
When Jesus pushes Abraham’s claim to have seen Jesus in the future even further and claims that he always existed, this is too much for his antagonists. Up come the stones to get rid of this man who sees things so differently. But what about us? Can we understand that Christ is the core of all things that exist, seen and unseen? Can we understand that he is at heart of every person, that he is found in the dust of the stars and the dust of earth? Can we stretch our imaginations to find him before Abraham was, to find him now even in our broken world, and be ready to find him glorified when our fragment of time is done? But that is the Easter mystery toward which our lives are moving. Christ yesterday and today…all time belongs to him-thus we open the Easter Vigil. Thus is God’s covenant with us.
~Prior, Fr. Joel Macul, OSB