Abram’s call by God to leave home and move to another country marks the beginning of Israel’s salvation history. His response, migrating to the land of promise eventually brought a great blessing for everyone on earth. The mystery of divine providence cannot be explained in any logical way, why some are chosen and others seem (relatively) unchosen. The classic explanation is offered by Deuteronomy, where Moses says: “It was not because you are the largest of all nations that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you, for you are the smallest of all nations. It was because the Lord loved you, that he brought you out with his strong hand from the place of slavery” (Deut 7:7-8). From this text we see that God’s basic requirement of them was a sense of humble gratitude. Abram left Haran in upper Syria, going into an unknown land and leaving behind his relatives and his home and everything he knew, for the sake of a promise and a blessing. Even the new land was to remain but a promise, never completely possessed. God said to Israel, “The land is mine; you are but aliens who have become my tenants” (Lev 25:23). Land was to be shared, so that no one would be homeless among God’s people. Never to possess it absolutely, but always to receive as a gift meant that Israel was to be “the smallest of all nations.” The ideals of love and humility are implicit in today’s Gospel where Jesus says: “Do not judge and so you may not be judged.”. The humble person cannot be judgmental towards others. If we dare to judge our neighbours, they may turn out to be more righteous than ourselves. Humble people will not lose the promised land, the divine blessing promised to Abraham. Humility towards God sparks in us a spirit of kindness, of a kindred spirit towards our neighbour. To inherit what was promised to Abraham we need to respect the earth and preserve the environment, be disposed to think well of our neighbour, and be generous in sharing with them the blessings of God that we have received. Blessings. Fr. Brian