30 January 2021

Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Today’s first reading from Hebrews (11:1-2, 8-19) contains a beautiful reflection on the faith of Abraham, our father in faith (cf. Roman Missal). Abraham’s mission, to move to the Promised Land and become the father to the people of Israel, was one in which he did not see the full fruits. The author of Hebrews notes of Abraham and his descendants, “All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar.” As Hebrews explains, Abraham “was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God.” Only with Christ does the full realization of Abraham’s mission come to fruition. 

Each of us, as Christians, has a specific mission given to us by God, though it may not be as dramatic or conspicuous as Abraham’s. Like him, however, we must be prepared to die in faith, not seeing the full realization of our mission, even if we have been faithful to it. Indeed, Christ, in going to his death, had not seen the full realization of his mission, either—that came after the Resurrection. Today, let us meditate on the faith of Abraham, and ask the Lord that we may be like him, faithful to our mission and willing even to die without seeing its fruits.