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Monday of 13th
Week Ordinary Time
St. Luke Institute
July 1, 2013
GOOD STORIES
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There is nothing like a good story to capture
attention
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The Book of Genesis offers memorable stories and
our first reading today contains on of the most surprising
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Imagine bargaining with God!
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Granted, the people of the Middle East bargain
on a daily basis to this day in ways we Westerners can find difficult to get
the hang of
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But to carry the art of bargaining into dialogue
with God seems like risky business
ABRAHAM AND GOD
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Where do Abraham’s temerity and boldness
actually come from? They come from God
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Remember Abraham has walked with God; he has
followed God’s call…to extreme lengths
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He knows God;
and he knows who he is before God
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So Abraham pleads for his God to act justly – to
act with mercy – towards the just and the unjust
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However, then comes the surprise: God actually
changes plans because of Abraham!
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We get a hint of this intimacy between God and
Abraham in the first verses of our reading
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The inner musing of God tell us that Abraham is
very dear to him
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He is a chosen one
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We also know from previous stories that
Abraham’s nephew, Lot, resides in Sodom
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So out of respect for this man whom he loves,
God listen and soften the righteous judgment
US AND GOD
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Whether we call it bargaining or whether we call
it “confident abandon,” we each have moments of standing before our God in dire
need, for ourselves or for another
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I’d suggest that in that moment it’s okay to
remind God of his constant love for us and of his great mercy
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But also important after having done so to then
place our need and our lives into God’s hands
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