The sacrifice of
Abraham, our father in faith
God put Abraham to the test. ‘Abraham, Abraham’ he
called. ‘Here I am’ he replied. ‘Take your son,’ God said ‘your only child
Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him
as a burnt offering, on a mountain I will point out to you.’
When they arrived at the place God had
pointed out to him, Abraham built an altar there, and arranged the wood. Then
he bound his son Isaac and put him on the altar on top of the wood. Abraham
stretched out his hand and seized the knife to kill his son.
But the angel of the Lord called to him
from heaven. ‘Abraham, Abraham’ he said. ‘I am here’ he replied. ‘Do not raise
your hand against the boy’ the angel said. ‘Do not harm him, for now I know you
fear God. You have not refused me your son, your only son.’ Then looking up,
Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. Abraham took the ram and
offered it as a burnt-offering in place of his son.
The angel of the Lord called Abraham a
second time from heaven. ‘I swear by my own self – it is the Lord who
speaks – because you have done this, because you have not refused me your
son, your only son, I will shower blessings on you, I will make your descendants
as many as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your
descendants shall gain possession of the gates of their enemies. All the
nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, as a reward
for your obedience.’
The
word of the Lord.
|
Responsorial Psalm Psalm
115(116):10,15-19 |
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.
I trusted, even when I said:
‘I am sorely afflicted,’
O precious in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of his faithful.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;
you have loosened my bonds.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;
I will call on the Lord’s name.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.
My vows to the Lord I will fulfil
before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
in the land of the living.
|
Second reading Romans 8:31-34 |
God did not
spare his own Son
With God on our side who can be against us? Since God
did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be
certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could
anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone
condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us – he rose from
the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.
The
word of the Lord.
|
Gospel Acclamation Mt17:5 |
Glory
and praise to you, O Christ!
From the bright cloud the Father’s voice was heard:
‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’
Glory
and praise to you, O Christ!
|
Gospel Mark 9:2-10 |
This is my Son,
the Beloved
Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led
them up a high mountain where they could be alone by themselves. There in their
presence he was transfigured: his clothes became dazzlingly white, whiter than
any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and
they were talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus: ‘Rabbi,’ he said ‘it
is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one
for Moses and one for Elijah.’ He did not know what to say; they were so
frightened. And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and there came a voice
from the cloud, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.’ Then suddenly,
when they looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.
As they came down from the mountain he
warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had
risen from the dead. They observed the warning faithfully, though among
themselves they discussed what ‘rising from the dead’ could mean.
The
Gospel of the Lord.
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