Sunday’s first reading is among the sagas of Abraham and Sarah in the first book of the bible. The story affirms the justice of God, a justice that does not arbitrarily punish and reward. It characterizes Abraham as a friend-servant who receives privileged information concerning the intent of his God.
Abraham and his wife Sarah are the earliest ancestors of the people of Israel. Abraham is privy in Sunday’s reading to God’s intent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. God dialogues with Abraham as with a friend.
Abraham bargains with God to reduce the number of people God will punish, but each time he suggests a lesser number he also affirms the justice and judgments of God. People who do evil and people who do good in God’s eyes will be dealt with as their lives deserve.
How should a just God act?
NARRATOR: When the three visitors to Abraham’s tent went toward Sodom, God remained standing before Abraham
GOD: The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave, that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out.
NARRATOR: Abraham drew near God.
ABRAHAM: Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty? Suppose there were 50 innocent people in the city. Will you wipe out the place, rather than spare it for the sake of the 50 innocent people within it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to make the innocent die with the guilty, so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike! Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?
GOD: If I find 50 innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.
ABRAHAM: See how I am presuming to speak to my God, though I am but dust and ashes! What if there are five less than 50 innocent people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?
GOD: I will not destroy it if I find 45 there.
ABRAHAM: What if only 40 are found there?
GOD: I will forbear doing it for the sake of the 40.
ABRAHAM: Let not my God grow impatient if I go on. What if only 30 are found there?
GOD: I will forbear doing it if I can find but 30 there.
ABRAHAM: Since I have thus dared to speak to my God, what if there are no more than 20?
GOD: I will not destroy it for the sake of the 20.
ABRAHAM: Please, let not my God grow angry if I speak up this last time. What if there are at least 10 there?
GOD: For the sake of those 10, I will not destroy it.
Genesis 18.20-32
- What memory do you have of attempts to barter or bargain with God?
- How has your prayer changed as you have matured?