Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
The story of Hagar is a difficult one. Disturbing to say the least, and perhaps shocking, to read that Sarah (also referred to as Sarai) abused Hagar, her slave girl, after she was given by Sarah to conceive and bear children with Abram in Sarah’s name (as was customary since she was unable to bear children) to preserve the ancestral line. Hagar flees the abuse by running away into the desert where she is alone and pregnant and will probably die. Who among us hasn’t felt alone, afraid, perhaps even hopeless at times? But this is also a story of hope. We are told that the Lord has not forgotten Hagar, “finds her” and tells her to return to Sarah with the promise that God will make Hagar’s descendants “too numerous to count.” Further, she is to name her son Ishmael, which in Hebrew means “God has heard.” But, we might ask, why would God instruct Hagar to return to the place that she has been abused and may be mistreated again?
This is certainly not meant to be an excuse for slavery, the oppression of women, or advocating the abusive treatment of anyone. Scripture scholars tell us that the author of Genesis was more concerned with explaining the “rise of nations” than with moral instruction. The importance of Hagar returning to bear her son, Ishmael, was so that his descendants would have a clear connection to Abraham as their ancestor, which was very important to them and a blessing to Hagar. God can use a bad situation for good.
And I think there is more for us to reflect on in these passages. God sought Hagar and found her; “God has heard” when she was vulnerable and alone in the desert. We also read that Hagar listened to God. She listened and chose to return as instructed, even in her fear, and to trust in God and the promise of blessing that she heard. And this promise was fulfilled.
We also read of the importance of listening to God and acting on God’s word in today’s gospel reading (Matthew 7: 21-29). In this final passage of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount we are called as disciples of Jesus to hear the Word and act upon what we hear. Simply hearing what God is saying to us is not enough. We must act on what we hear. A challenging gospel indeed!
What I find encouraging is that just as we are called to hear and then act; so, too, does God hear us, hear those who are oppressed, hear those who are vulnerable and in need. And God acts on God’s promises. We are asked to trust that if we listen to God in prayer and in scripture and act on what we hear then God will bless us and welcome us into God’s kingdom. The path may not be the one we would have chosen on our own, or in our timing, and the path may be difficult with hardships and fears to face; but, like Hagar, we will be blessed and can take comfort in knowing that we are not alone. “God has heard” and God is with us.
- Eileen Miller