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Guest
According to Sacred Scripture, Abraham is our Father in Faith. He is venerated as a model of faith by both St. Paul and St. James, and was highly regarded by the Jews. If he is our spiritual father, and clearly played such a prominent role in salvation history (God brought salvation through his lineage and blessed him greatly), why isn’t there more widespread devotion tp Father Abraham?
(Or, for that matter, any of the great Old Testament saints).
Even our Lord accords Abraham a great honour. In Matthew 8:11, we are told that 'many will come…and will take their places…with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." In Mat. 3:9, our Lord says that God can raise up children for Abraham from ‘these rocks’, which I believe applies to us (Gentile Christians). Our Lady speaks highly of Abraham in Lk 1:54-56. Again, our Lord singles out Abraham (and Isaac and Jacob) among those in the Kingdom of God on the last day in Lk 13:28. Again in John 8, our Lord speaks at length on Father Abraham.
In Romans 4, St. Paul explains how Abraham has become the Father of all Christians…and that he is, as God promised, the ‘father of many nations’. In Gal. 3:1-14, St. Paul again affirms that Abraham is our Father.
I’m not saying that Abraham is necessarily the greatest of all the saints (here using the term to include the righteous of the OT as well), for Hebrews 7 suggests that Melchizedek was perhaps greater, for example; however, if we venerate Mary as our Mother (which she is), shouldn’t we also keep in mind that Abraham is said to be our spiritual father? (Of course, our Lady is greater than Abraham, I am simply drawing a parallel).
In Christ,
Tyler
(Or, for that matter, any of the great Old Testament saints).
Even our Lord accords Abraham a great honour. In Matthew 8:11, we are told that 'many will come…and will take their places…with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." In Mat. 3:9, our Lord says that God can raise up children for Abraham from ‘these rocks’, which I believe applies to us (Gentile Christians). Our Lady speaks highly of Abraham in Lk 1:54-56. Again, our Lord singles out Abraham (and Isaac and Jacob) among those in the Kingdom of God on the last day in Lk 13:28. Again in John 8, our Lord speaks at length on Father Abraham.
In Romans 4, St. Paul explains how Abraham has become the Father of all Christians…and that he is, as God promised, the ‘father of many nations’. In Gal. 3:1-14, St. Paul again affirms that Abraham is our Father.
I’m not saying that Abraham is necessarily the greatest of all the saints (here using the term to include the righteous of the OT as well), for Hebrews 7 suggests that Melchizedek was perhaps greater, for example; however, if we venerate Mary as our Mother (which she is), shouldn’t we also keep in mind that Abraham is said to be our spiritual father? (Of course, our Lady is greater than Abraham, I am simply drawing a parallel).
In Christ,
Tyler