Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?

See the readings for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
1. I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). The calling which each Baptized person receives is marked by several characteristics. Maybe the most notable of these characteristics is its personal nature. We could look at the call of Isaiah the prophet which took place within a vision he had of heaven. Although the Lord seemed to ask the question of the whole Heavenly host who should be sent, Isaiah knew upon hearing that the Lord was speaking to him personally and that he had to respond.
2. Saint Paul too was spoken to in a personal manner. Jesus asked Paul why are you persecuting me? And then instructed Paul to go to Damascus where he would be instructed what to do. Saint Paul’s experience of Jesus was intensely personal and he received the Gospel directly from the Lord.
3. In the Gospel we observe the call of Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John. Jesus spoke to them personally and invited them first to listen to His teaching, second to trust Him in casting their nets, and third to leave everything behind to follow Him. I cannot compare myself to these great prophets and apostles, but I would be lying if I did not admit that the Lord spoke to me in my heart to become a priest. Likewise throughout the seminary He confirmed my vocation- through the same voice which I heard not in my ears but in my heart. He also confirmed my calling through others whose task it was to help me on my path.
4. Although most people may not believe that God can or would speak to them in a personal manner, I believe He does just that. Of course, most of the time, Jesus uses the voices of others to speak to us. But the call to follow Him is no less personal. And if we get used to hearing His voice and not just our own, we will experience it.
5. Another characteristic of the call is that it is a call to holiness- to be like God Himself in whose image and likeness we were made. In other words, it is to be who and what we really are- the children of the Most High God. In receiving this call it is common to be made aware of our own unworthiness. Isaiah lamented his unclean lips, Saint Paul remembered that he was a persecutor of Jesus, Saint Peter fell to his knees and begged our Lord to depart for he was a sinner. The awareness of unworthiness may hit those who have discovered the one whom they should marry, I do not know. I do know that when I first accepted that the call to be a priest came from God, I was immediately filled with fear regarding my unworthiness. Time and time again the Lord had to reassure me. That is why the sacrament of Penance is so important. In any event, there was a saying in the seminary which fits all of us- God does not choose the worthy, He makes worthy those whom He has chosen.
6. God calls us not just from sin to be holy, but He also calls us from good things to better. Once Saint Paul became an apostle, his previous life as a rabbi was over. Saint Peter and his partners had to walk away from the greatest catch of fish in their career. God continues to call us to a deeper conversion and to make sacrifices. For example from the enjoyment of material goods to the giving of them for the sake of His kingdom. Or in the case of a married couple to commit to one another forsaking all others. Or in my case having to leave one parish family to love and to serve another.
7. The sacrificial part of the call might not even seem all that momentous. It might be returning a kind word instead of an insult, letting someone cut in front of us on the road, or listening to an elderly friend or relative tell a story we have heard many times before.
8. Although God’s call is intensely personal, it is not private. It is always for our good and the good of the whole Body of Christ which is the Church. When God calls, He does not force us. He did not force Isaiah, or Paul, or Simon Peter. Rather, the Lord desires the free gift of ourselves. The question we must reflect on is what we are going to do when we get it. I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” (Isaiah 6:8).

The Sacrifice of Abraham, Our Father in Faith

1. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31b). These words of Saint Paul to the Romans give us great comfort. But I often wonder about Abraham our father in faith. In what did he take comfort in? Especially when God asked him to sacrifice his only son (Genesis 22:1-18). Maybe it was not all that surprising a request. After all, many peoples throughout history have practiced human sacrifice. The prophets even condemned the Israelites themselves for sacrificing their children to the demon god Moloch. In this hemisphere, the Aztecs and others also practiced human sacrifice. And today, many people are willing to kill the unborn and the elderly for the sake of money or comfort or medical experimentation.
2. Anyway, what did Abraham think? God had promised him a son, and descendants as numerous as the sand at the seashore and the stars in the sky. Isaac was not even born until Abraham was 99 years old. Now Abraham is 111 and God asks him to sacrifice his son. Well, we do not know what he was thinking. We only know what he did. And that is, when God called him, Abraham answered, Here I am. And he stood ready to do God’s will, however hard it might have been.
3. But note that God did not require Abraham to go through with it. So many false gods have demanded the death of the innocent, but the True God did not require such a thing. But even though his hand was stayed, Abraham did sacrifice his son Isaac to the living and true God, because he would not withhold anything from God. Because of Abraham’s fidelity and trust, God swore that He would bless Abraham abundantly. And not just Abraham, but all of his descendants. But not just those either. God promised to bless the whole world, just because Abraham trusted in His word.
4. We need to think about that for a moment. Abraham obeyed God in one instance, and every person who ever lived afterward received a blessing. How often we consider that if we just got our way, everything would be okay. Or maybe we act out of fear, not wanting to obey God’s commands out of fear of not having enough money or enough property or enough friends. Many people who otherwise desire to live the Gospel think it is totally insane to be fruitful and have more than two children, even if it means surgery or taking powerful drugs.
5. But it’s not just that. Students cheat because they are afraid of the hard work that studying requires. People lie because they are afraid of what will happen if the truth is told. Some refuse to forgive because they are afraid of being hurt again if they let things go. Some people are afraid to go to confession because they are afraid to admit their sins out loud. Whether he was afraid or not, I cannot say (I'm, sure that he was), but when God called, Abraham said Here I am, and trusted God, and so everyone of us has been blessed.
6. The story of Abraham’s sacrifice is amazing enough by itself. Abraham had no idea of the resurrection, or anything about Jesus. When we consider his sacrifice in the light of Jesus Christ, it becomes even more amazing. For these events of long ago pre-figured the salvation won for us by the Son of God on the wood of the Cross. Isaac carried the wood up the mountain, Jesus would carry the wood of the cross up the hill of Calvary. The ram caught in the bramble was sacrificed in Isaac's place, we call Jesus The Lamb of God. There would come a time when God would offer His own Son in sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus would beg His Father if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will (Matthew 26:39). On the day of the crucifixion, on the hill of Calvary, there would be no word from above to stop the nails from being driven into Jesus’ hands. There would be no command to prevent the crown of thorns from being pushed onto His head, no suggestion even that Jesus should not be scourged, or that the lance ought not to be thrust into his side.
7. It was not the son of a creature but the Only Begotten Son of the Creator who was sacrificed for the forgiveness of sins. And if Abraham’s obedience to God resulted in blessing for the entire world, how much more powerful is the obedience of the Son of God who offered Himself for our sake? And if God loves us so much as to offer His Son for our redemption, what do we have to fear? What is preventing us from repenting of our sins and turning to the Lord for forgiveness? How could we possibly doubt His love? What keeps us from obeying His word and instead preferring our own will?
8. Saint Paul said: Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). It is time to admit that we have sinned. It is time to ask God for forgiveness. It is time to go to Confession, to receive the Mercy which God desires to bestow on us. It is time to start anew doing good, so when God calls our name, we might say Here I am. And the whole world will be blessed if we do.