From the desk of the pastor for October 25, 2026

The Lord be with you! Today we examine one of the most misunderstood parts of the Old Testament: the sacrifice of Isaac. Abraham demonstrates true fidelity to God and shows us that love of God must come first.

Genesis 22 lays out the events fairly clearly. God tells Abraham to take his only son - his beloved son - to a mountain and offer him as a burnt offering. Abraham, Isaac, and two servants then set out. Abraham and Isaac journey alone the last day when Isaac asks where the sheep for the sacrifice is. Abraham tells his son that God will provide the animal. Then we jump to the critical moment of slaughter, and an angel intervenes at the last second to stop Abraham. With a ram found in a thicket, Abraham and Isaac worship God and go home.

Before we analyze the actions, we need to remember a few salient points. First, Abraham is an old man - around 137 years old. Second, Isaac is likely 37 years old and certainly not a child. We have to guess Isaac’s age, but the strongest proof of his being an adult - or at least physically stronger than Abraham - is his carrying all the wood. Third, sacrifices were always done by adults, and Genesis 22:7 has Isaac ask about where the sacrifice is. This remark proves that Isaac is taking on the
priestly role along with his father.

From the above we know that both Isaac and Abraham are performing this sacrifice with the expectation that God will deliver Isaac. This belief does not make Abraham’s actions easier, but it does reveal them to be reasonable. More importantly, Isaac had to submit to Abraham just as Christ would submit to the Father’s Will. Here Isaac represents Jesus with Abraham giving us an insight into God the Father. Whereas Abraham is given a reprieve, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit demonstrate their love to us by Christ’s Death.

When tragedy and hardship come into our lives, we often give way to anger and despondency. Abraham bore a heavy burden without giving into sadness. His belief that God would save Isaac was shown to be true belief in the Mercy of God. May we each learn to entrust ourselves to God.

In His Sacred Heart,
Fr. John

PSA’s
At present our roof replacement has hit a lull. Absolute Roofing has installed the new membrane and everything below it. We must now wait for the manufacturer to inspect the membrane’s installation before coating the dome. The workers on the lifts are repairing the cement spalling and that project is moving forward smoothly. When we know more about when these projects are expected to finish, we will let you know. Thank you for your prayers and patience.