Today’s first reading is from Genesis 22:1-18.

Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Take now your beloved son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a whole-burnt offering on one of the mountains I tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split firewood for the whole-burnt offering, and arose and went to the place God told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”

So Abraham took the firewood of the whole-burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. Then he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the firewood, but where is the sheep for the whole-burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for himself the sheep for a whole-burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.

They came to the place where God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the firewood in order; and he bound Isaac his son, hand and foot, and laid him on the altar, upon the firewood. Then Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” So he said, “Here I am.” Then he replied, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know you fear God, since for my sake you have not spared your beloved son.”

Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So he brought it as a whole-burnt offering in the place of his son. Thus Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Has-Appeared; as it is said to this day, “In the mountain of the Lord it was seen.”

Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and for my sake you did not spare your beloved son. I will certainly bless you, and assuredly multiply your seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the seashore; and your seed shall inherit the cities of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you obeyed my voice.”

The story of Abraham offering up his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God is an incredible illustration of Abraham’s faithfulness. St. Ambrose of Milan writes:

In place of the body, God showed the ram in the bush, that he might restore the son to his father, and yet, that a victim should not be lacking to the priest. Consequently, neither was Abraham stained with the blood of his own son, nor was God deprived of a victim. When the prophet saw the ram, he did not assume a boastful attitude; he did not persist obstinately in his resolve, but took the ram in place of the boy. His conduct shows all the more how piously he offered the son, whom he received back so gladly.

Today’s second reading is from Proverbs 17:19-18:5

Let a friend be with you on every occasion, and let brethren be useful in necessities, for they are begotten for this reason. A man without discernment applauds and rejoices over himself, as also the one who gives himself as surety for his friend. He who loves sin rejoices in quarrels, and the hard-hearted man does not assemble with good men. A changeable man will fall into evils with his tongue, and a heart without discernment is grief to the one possessing it. A father does not delight in an uninstructed son; but a son with discernment gladdens his mother. A cheerful heart makes a man healthy, but the bones of a sorrowful man dry him up.

The ways of a man who receives gifts unrighteously do not prosper, and the ungodly man shuns the ways of righteousness. The face of a wise man shows understanding, but the eyes of the man without discernment are upon the ends of the earth. A son without discernment is wrath to a father and grief to her who bore him. It is not good to punish a righteous man, nor is it holy to plot against righteous princes. He who refrains from uttering a harsh word is intelligent, and a long-suffering man has discernment. Wisdom shall be imputed to a man without understanding who asks for wisdom, and anyone who holds his peace will seem to have discernment.

A man seeks a pretext when he wishes to separate from his friends, but he shall be reproached at every opportunity. A man lacking understanding has no need of wisdom, for he is rather led by lack of discernment. When an ungodly man comes into the depth of evil things, he acts contemptuously, but dishonor and reproach come upon him. A word in the heart of a man is deep water, and a river and a fountain of life spring up from it. It is not good to admire the person of the ungodly, nor is it holy to pervert righteousness in judgment.

One of today’s proverbs warned about the depth of evil things. About this, St. Athanasius wrote:

Just as men who plunge into the deep, the deeper they go down, they descend into darker and deeper places. So it is with humankind, for they did not keep to idolatry in a simple form, nor did they abide in that with which they began, but the longer they went on in their first condition, the more new superstitions they invented. And, not satiated with the first evils, they again filled themselves with others, advancing further in utter shamefulness and surpassing themselves in impiety. But to this divine Scripture testifies when it says, “When an ungodly man comes into a depth of evils, he despises them.”

Let us shun every evil thing, but instead offer to God the sacrifice of a pure heart.

Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us: to him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.