When a story begins with a man, his wife, the other woman, and two sons, we can expect a juicy tale of trouble and drama. However, in the first reading, the mention of Abraham and the sons he had with two different women happens to be an allegory. Therefore, there must be a hidden message that we need to hear about our spiritual choices.

We could say that the two women and the two sons of Abraham represent two paths or two different ways of living. The human condition reveals that we are either living in slavery or living free in Christ. We are either trusting in God's intervention and standing on God's promises or trying to leave God out of our plans under the guise of being proactive. Especially when we feel that God is not acting fast enough or being transparent.

After reading today’s scripture passages, surprisingly, I thought about vocation discernment. The first reading invites us to discern our path in life by not just what stirs our hearts, but by taking stock of what enslaves us versus what sets us free to be our true selves. When we arrive at a vocation crossroad, which happens several times in our lifespan, we are often of two mindsets, and we find ourselves searching for signs that we are on the right path. We might become desperate and stop listening to God. We might try our self-effort way, which is paved with stumbling blocks such as the fear of failure, fear of judgment, fear of the unknown, fear of disappointment, presumptions, and pleasing others. These fears and stumbling blocks enslave us and back us into a corner. However, God’s way is a way of faith, grace, trust, patience, interior space, and spiritual collaboration without pressure or judgment.

We do not need proof or a sign to take a particular path in life when we have faith in God's timing, even when we do not fully understand our purpose. We do not need proof or a sign if we show up in prayer without agendas and ultimatums. We do not need proof or a sign from God if we spend time listening to God, especially when God shows up in surprising ways. We do not need proof or a sign if we trust that our destinies are much grander than we know and that our best days are always in front of us. We do not need proof or a sign when we acknowledge that we all have a shared vocation of love; therefore, we are halfway up the road of discernment already. It might take a long time to come to fruition but believe that God will never stir us the wrong way. That is God’s promise of assurance and hope.

Loving God, your love and promise have set us free. We are no longer enslaved by our fears.