Fourth Tuesday of the Great Fast

Genesis 12:10-13:7

Joshua 8:1-17

Romans 9:14-29

John 5:19-47

Abraham was the chosen one among many. Just being a chosen one does not mean that everything will be alright. There would be testing times in everybody’s life. Things unexplainable would happen. Here, it is famine first; then the loss of own wife and finally his nephew. These calamities are not longstanding. Abraham is returned with flocks, silver and gold. His wife was also returned to him with the direct intervention of Yahweh among the abductors. Testing times are not for ever. Faith prevails everything.

After the minor jolt, Joshua could defeat Ai. Promises of Yahweh are true. When we go away from the covenant, there would be minor defeats. Deciphering these minor hurdles is the true nature of a faithful servant of God. With Yahweh, nothing is impossible.

Covenant is for both the parties involved in it. Since God is the initiator of the Covenant, we have a greater role to play. It is not out of necessity that God entered into the Covenant with each one of us. But for us, it is a necessity. Hence, our response to the everfaithul and everloving God must be of complete surrender. If we want to be counted among the few who are saved, we must be completely loyal to Him. God knows our frail nature, but does not wish us to take advantage of the frailty. We should not forget our role in the covenantal relationship. Role clarity itself is a virtue.

Father-Son relationship in the Holy Trinity is the perfect model for our covenantal relationship with God. Abraham did what he was instructed to do. Joshua literally obeyed Yahweh and hence he became the conqueror of Canaan. Paul was clear of his role initially as a zealous Pharisee and finally as the torchbearer of the new Way. John asks us to ponder over the mystery of our covenantal relationship with God, so that we speak what we hear from Him and we do as He instructs us to do.

How do we understand the plan of God in the face of extreme casualties? Rapes of the innocents during war, persecution etc, looting and killing in the name of religion, suffering of the innocent with severe diseases etc are all beyond our rationality. But one thing is sure, anyone who hears His word and believes Him, has eternal life. He passes from death to life.