2 July, Wednesday — Between Letting Go and Trusting God

Wednesday of Week 13 in Ordinary Time

Gen 21:5,8-20  
Mt 8:28-34

“…I will make him into a great nation.“

Today’s first reading is deeply human — filled with tension, heartbreak, and divine promise. In my mind, I imagine it like a Korean drama: complex characters, emotional twists, gut-wrenching decisions, and how the underdog eventually rises.

Abraham is caught between two sons — Isaac, the child of God’s promise, and Ishmael, his firstborn. Sarah’s demand to send Hagar and Ishmael away may sound cruel, but I can imagine the turmoil in her heart: jealousy, fear, and a desperate instinct to protect her son. As a woman, I understand that urge. As a mother, she’s doing what she believes is necessary to secure Isaac’s future.

Then there’s Hagar — a slave woman with no voice, cast out into the wilderness with her child. Her despair is real, raw, and familiar to anyone who has ever felt powerless or abandoned. Her tears echo the cries of countless mothers trying to survive in the unknown. And yet, it is in that place of anguish that God draws near. “God was with the boy.” Even in desolation, God remains. His presence doesn’t vanish when we’re thrown out — it often becomes more real.

Abraham, too, faces a heart-breaking decision. He loved both sons. To send one away must have shattered him. But God meets him not with cold instruction, but with comfort: “Do not be afraid, for God has heard the boy’s cry… pick up the boy and hold him safe, for I will make him into a great nation.” God acknowledges Abraham’s pain and gives him the promise he needs to take that difficult step.

 What a comforting reminder of God’s care, even for those seemingly sidelined in the story. As I read it, a thought crossed my mind — how much “easier” it might have been for Abraham. If God spoke to me that clearly, face to face, I think I’d find it easier to move forward with whatever He’s asking. That said, Abraham’s situation was still gut-wrenching. But to hear God say “Do not be afraid” must have helped lighten the load, offering strength and courage.

I’ve often wished for that kind of clarity — especially in my own wilderness moments. But maybe the invitation for me is to learn to listen differently. To hear God’s voice in Scripture, in prayer, in wise counsel, or in those quiet nudges in my heart. Faith isn’t always about certainty. More often, it’s about trust — taking one step forward, even when the path ahead is unclear.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus enters Gentile territory and restores two men possessed by demons — men so rejected, they were left to live among tombs. And yet, Jesus goes to them. He sets them free. But instead of joy, the townspeople ask Jesus to leave. That always strikes me. Sometimes we’re so afraid of disruption that we’d rather cling to what’s familiar, even if it keeps others in chains.

So today, I pray — may I have Abraham’s courage to trust God’s promises, Sarah’s honesty to confront my fears, and Hagar’s faith to look up, even when I feel cast out. Because even in the wilderness — especially in the wilderness — God is near. He sees. He hears. He stays. And He leads us forward, one promise at a time.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Geraldine Nah)

Prayer: Lord, help me to follow where you lead, even when the path is unclear. Give me the courage to begin, and the strength to keep going when it’s hard. Teach me to trust that you are with me — even in the wilderness.

Thanksgiving: Thank you Jesus, for seeing me, staying close, and calling me forward despite my weakness. Your promises give me hope and your presence gives me peace.