The True Meaning of Worship

This 2^nd week of Lent we are treated to the story of Abraham and Isaac on Mt. Moriah on the first reading and the Gospel with the story of Jesus and three disciples on the mount of Transfiguration. The Abraham and Isaac story is very famous. It is not only a child story, make believe story we would like to repeat and re-tell but to really ponder upon.

I think it was 5 years ago when this same story hit me really hard. The shorter version of the reading did not really give us the complete image of how it happened but imagine Isaac carrying the wood but not seeing any lamb needed for the sacrifice. Isaac, to be able to carry the wood must be some kind of a teenager and while he might have no knowledge of what is going to happen as his father assured him the Lord will provide the lamb for burnt offering, he did not resist with his youthful strength and agility when his father bound him. At this time, he knew what is happening and he has willingly submitted himself to his father.

In the ancient world, the true meaning of worship is not about raising your hands and shouting from the top of your voices how much you love God and your willingness to offer your self to Him. God deserves everything because He has given us everything. So ancient peoples instinctively knew that authentic worship is about offering a sacrifice to their gods that is big and precious enough to represent their entire lives. That’s why human sacrifice was so prevalent in ancient times–the offering of the firstborn was seen as the only adequate worship.

In Genesis 22, God stops Abraham before he slays his son. The command to sacrifice Isaac was a test to see if Abraham was truly devoted to God in faith, obedience, and gratitude. God does not want Isaac’s blood, only Abraham’s heart and this is still true today - “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams." 1 Sam. 15:22

In contrast, Jesus did carry the wood on his back that will be used for his sacrifice in obedience to His Father up not to mount Moriah but to mount Golgotha. The ram caught by its horn in a thicket is not a substitute and the sacrifice did not really happen on mount Moriah. Jesus who was crowned with thorns was nailed and died on the cross as the perfect and final sacrifice. The only sacrifice acceptable to the Father to redeem us all from our sins.

Although it is we who owe everything to God, it is he who sacrificed everything for us. This is the whole story of the Gospel. This is what Jesus means every time he says – behold, the time is now, repent for the kingdom of God has come.

Only a few weeks ago, we celebrated the Word who became flesh and dwelt amongst us. In the next few weeks, we will again witness and hopefully experience the same God whose love for us surpasses all the love we know and we can ever experience.

Remember, Jesus did not want to stay in the mount of Transfiguration as the three apostles suggested. He wanted us to wake up and realize that when we said yes to Him – it means we will have to deny our selves, carry our crosses and take the footsteps where He had trodden.

As we enter deeply into the Lenten season, let us renew and deepen our dedication to Him by expressing to Him a sacrifice that is truly meaningful and lasting. Let us graduate from sacrificing something just during Lent, but something big enough that will last our lifetime.