TODAY'S SAINT (Sts. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob)

STS. ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB

Patriarchs

Abraham, son of Thare, left Ur of the Chaldees about 2,000 years before Christ and went to Haran, where his father died. At God's command he took up his abode in Canaan, the land promised to his posterity. Forced by famine into Egypt, he returned to Canaan and rescued his nephhew Lot from the King of Elam. On his return he was met by Melchizedel, King of Salem, who blessed him.

God made a covenant with Abraham and promised that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars of the heavens. In accord with God's specific promise he and his wife Sarah had a son in their old age whom they called Isaac. Abraham's Faith in God was tested by God's command to sacrifice his son in the manner of the surrounding peoples who practiced child sacrifice. After staying his hand, by means of an angel, God revealed the greatness of his posterity to Abraham as a reward for his unbounded trust in his Creator. Abraham died at an advanced old age.

As the Divinely promised son of Abraham and Sarah after a long childless marriage, Isaac became the heir of the Messianic blessings. He was proclaimed to sole legal ancestor of God's chosen people, outsting Ishmael, another son of Abraham. He resided at Beersheba and married a member of his father's family, Rebekah, who had been brought from Mesopotaamia. She bore him two sons, Esau and Jacob. During a famine Isaac sought Abimelech, the King of the Philistines, at Gerar, where he became rich and powereful. Shortly before his death, when he wished to bless Esau, his favorite son, Rebekah frustrated his intention by a ruse and substituted Jacob.

After depriving his brother Esau of his birthright, Jacob fled to Haran, the dwelling place of his maternal uncle, Laban, who gave him his daughters, Leah and Rachel, as wives. Jacob had twelve sons who became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of the Hebrew people. At Bethel he received a vision and blessing which constitute one of the outstanding events of early Hebrew history. And at Peiel he wrestled all night with a mysterious Divine stranger and received the Divinely give name. In his old age he journeyed to Egypt to rejoin his son Joseph, taking his whole household with him and setting the stage for the Exodus centuries later.

PRAYER

Lord God, You showered heavenly gifts on Sts. Abraham,

Isaac, andd Jacob. Help us to imitate them during our ear-

thly life and enjoy eternal happiness with them in heaven.

Amen.

Feast: December 20