“How could God listen to me after all that I have done?” Not an uncommon question asked of priests. The person asking is a sinner…and a saint…a complex person. Today’s first reading is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, one of the most challenging and complex of all the New Testament books – and addresses an equally complex character in the person of Abraham. Known for his unwavering faith in God he is a person who is not always righteous and forthright; a person who sometimes acts in ways not in accord with the will of God. Consider some moments in the story of Abraham.

Early in his journey, Abraham doubted God’s promise of protection, which led him to lie about his wife Sarah being his sister to Pharaoh in Egypt, putting her in a compromising position. This act showed a lack of trust in God’s ability to protect them.  And this tale was repeated to King Abimelech making one wonder about his honesty and trust in God.

Both Abraham and Sarah laughed when God promised them a child in their old age. While this laughter can be seen as a natural reaction to an incredible promise, it also reflects a degree of doubt or disbelief, a lack of trust that led to actions reflecting that doubt.  At Sarah’s urging Abraham had a son via Sarah’s maidservant, Hagar. He essentially took on a concubine who bore Abraham’s son, Ishmael. The rivalry between Sarah and Hagar, and their descendants, the Israelites and the Ishmaelites, persisted for generations – even to this day.

Abraham’s negotiation with God over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah could be considered his hesitation to accept God’s judgment without question.

That is one side of the ledger. Abraham’s choices for and with God are a far longer list and one might say, on balance, Abraham “did good” and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Except it isn’t a ledger. 

It is a story that serves as a testament to the idea that faith can coexist with human imperfection. Abraham’s journey, marked by both faith and human flaws, is a central narrative in the Book of Genesis. It is as St. Paul notes it is not about the works, even when called for by God. It is not about the failings – for St. Paul notes, quoting the Psalms: “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record.”

It is a story to accept the grace to trust in the One who can justify even the ungodly. It is a story about accepting the grace to take action in the world. It is a story about accepting the grace of forgiveness. It is a story about trusting and continuing the journey.

That’s how God can listen to us after all we have done.

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