Friday of 13th week in ordinary time, July 6, 2007

Scripture: Genesis 23:1-4,19; 24:1-8, 62-67; Psalm 106:1-5; Matthew 9:9-13;
Lectionary #381:

We are ending the wonderful faith journey narrative of Abraham and Sarah
with today's readings from Genesis. What will follow will be the very short
story of Isaac who is now mentioned at the end of the Abraham cycle. He is
to be married to Rebekkah. Abraham gives us all a lesson in faith about
our last stage of life. He carefully prepares for the burial of Sarah who
dies at the end of 127 years. He buys a burial plot near one of his
favorite sacred locations near the tree of Mamre. With love and care he
prepares his last will and testament ever mindful of the role his son Isaac
will have in the history of God's plan. Abraham shows us how to live
gracefully as we come to the last years of our own journey. He has lived a
faithful and integrated life and has through his trust in God been able to
weather the storms of family, enemies, and new adventures into the promised
land. He will have a peaceful death in the Lord who created and called
him. Often we admire many of our elderly friends who go through the same
preparations and take care of their children through a last will and
testament. Some even prepare for their own entrance into Assisted Living
and are a blessing to their families by being so sensitive about this
difficult transition. One of our priests told me that he willingly went to
the Nursing Care "without a wimper." Exempla trahant! Good example really
leads us to think and do the same. I found today's reading quite helpful
in thinking about my own preparation for such a need eventually. It is not
easy to face such happenings in our life, but they are part of our
transition and return to the loving God who created us and redeems us. The
transition to eternal life is at the heart of our faith and though it is
not easy, we do learn from our patriarchs in Genesis how to live through
it. After all, our God is a God of the living, the God of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. It was Jesus who told us this and that should be a consolation
for us since it comes from the mouth of the one who is the way, the truth,
and the life. All three of the great partriarchs together with their
spouses lived their lives in the light of God's plan for them. We too are
part of that plan as their descendants in faith, hope and love of God.
They are now counted among the righteous and join all of the Communion of
Saints. We believe that our lives are changed not taken away when the
moment of death approaches us. We take consolation in this revelation of
faith that Jesus is the Resurrection and the life and those who believe in
him shall enter eternal life. This is the only sign of hope that we
personally have at the moment of death. This is our faith. Amen.