Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

FR MICHAEL BIBLICAL IMAGERY

(Fr Michael Boakye Yeboah: Vice Rector of St Gregory Seminary, Kumasi-Ghana)

IS WORTH THE RISK

            In the history of humankind those who have achieved some breakthroughs or invented some phenomenal things took some risk. Have you read the story of the astronauts who made the first journey to space? Or those who flew the first plane into the skies? They took some risks but their success stories have proven that the risks were worth it. Now, if man can take risks and achieve results that are temporal and earthly; what about the risk that one takes to achieve eternal rewards? Isn’t it worth it?

            In the first reading we are told of the risk Abraham was ready to take. I cannot imagine what went on in the mind of Abraham. He and his wife spent all their adult life waiting and chasing after the promise God made to them. At one point in time they may have lost patience, when Abraham had a child with the house help. But finally, God fulfills his promise and Sarah conceived and gave birth to a son. Their troubles seem over but God came with another test of faith. He asked Abraham to sacrifice the long-awaited son to him. Abraham did not ask questions but just obeyed. How many of us can take this risk? At times in our “plenty” we do not want to sacrifice to God, let alone to sacrifice our only treasure. I remember a case in point I witnessed while working in Lagos, Nigeria. A young man expressed the desire to embrace the priestly vocation but his mother said she will not sacrifice her only child for the work of God. This woman is a Catholic and unlike Abraham she said her only child is not meant for “sacrifice.”

            Abraham took that risk and the reward was the friendship he won for himself with God and the blessings for his descendants (the Jews). That is why for the Jews, Abraham’s sacrifice is, with good reason, the climax of their relationship with God, and they emphasize that it was a double sacrifice: the sacrifice of a father, who draws his knife, and the sacrifice of a son, who agrees to his own slaughter.

            The story in the first reading can be seen as the extreme form of what God can require in imitation of his own intention from a man who is in a covenant relationship with him. The horror of the whole story lies not in the command to kill the son of one’s own body, rather, the horror lies in the fact that this son was miraculously given by God and destined to imitate and accomplish the divine promises.

            In the Gospel, when Peter witnessed the beauty of the transfiguration, he initiated a risky venture. He was ready to stay unsheltered on the mountain for the rest of his life and behold the beauty of the beatific vision. He just wanted to build tents for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. If one is blessed to experience a glimpse of a life in heaven, the person will be ready to risk everything to possess that heavenly life. Peter was ready to risk his personal comfort to behold the presence of God. What are you ready to risk?

            Can you “risk” the hours you spend on your phone or watching TV or playing video games; and visit the Lord at the Blessed Sacrament? We are so lucky, unlike Abraham God does not demand the extraordinary from us. God just want you to show your love and faith in him by letting go of “little things.” Let me end with a short story. I knew a young Catholic guy, who demonstrated that he loved his Catholic faith. Then a time came when for some time I did not see him in Church. I chanced on him one day and I asked him why he has not been coming to Church. He told me he has stopped practicing the Catholic faith. What was the reason, I inquired? He had fallen in love with a girl, who dislikes the Catholic faith and the girl told him that he should decide between her and his faith. This guy said he couldn’t risk losing the love of his life so he left the Catholic faith.

Abraham was ready to risk his only son but this guy wasn’t ready to risk the love his life. You know something the girl left him and married a rich business man. Please do not allow any earthly thing to stand between you and your God. Learn from Abraham and Peter; for when it comes to love of God, it is always worth the risk.