Second reading – Hebrews 11:8,11-12,17-19
The faith of Abraham and of Sarah
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore.
It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though the promises had been made to him and he had been told: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead.
Reflection
‘God’s faithfulness is stronger than our unfaithfulness and our infidelities.’– Pope Francis
Prayer
God-With-Us, at Christmastide I am aware of the many problems and sorrows in the world and how much I hope that they would simply dissolve. Help me to hold fast to faith, and to know that you never abandon us, but that, through every test and hurdle, you remain ever faithful.