The Call of Abraham

With the call of Abraham in Genesis 12, Bishop Barron marks the transition from "Prologue" to "Action." If Chapters 1–11 are the diagnosis of a sick humanity, Chapter 12 is the beginning of the cure.

Barron describes this as God’s "great counter-offensive" against the pride of Babel.

1. The Logic of Election

One of Barron’s most frequent themes is the "Logic of Election."

• The Question: Why does God choose one specific person (Abraham), one specific family, and one specific nation?

• The Answer: It isn't because Abraham is "better" than everyone else, but because God works through the few for the sake of the many.

• The Strategy: God intends to form a people so shaped by "right praise" (ordered toward God) that they eventually become a magnet for the rest of the scattered world.

2. Lech Lecha: The Radical Departure

God’s first words to Abraham are "Lech Lecha"—usually translated as "Go forth."

• The Sacrifice: Abraham is told to leave his country, his kindred, and his father’s house. In the ancient world, these were a person's only sources of identity, security, and wealth.

• The Detachment: Barron notes that to be a "knight of faith," one must be willing to detach from the "ego-drama" (what I want, my safety, my legacy) to enter the "theo-drama" (what God wants to do through me).

3. "I Will Make Your Name Great"

Barron highlights a direct linguistic link back to the Tower of Babel:

• Babel: The people said, "Let us make a name for ourselves." They failed and were scattered.

• Abraham: God says, "I will make your name great."

• The Insight: When we try to seize our own glory, we lose it. When we surrender our lives to God’s purposes, God grants us a greatness we could never achieve on our own.

4. The Three Promises

Barron breaks down the three specific promises God makes to Abraham, which form the "blueprint" for the rest of the Bible:

1. Land: A place where right praise can happen (eventually the Promised Land/The Temple).

2. A Great Nation: A new society based on God’s law rather than human violence.

3. Universal Blessing: "In you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed." This confirms that Abraham is not chosen for his own sake, but to be the channel through which God reunites the world.

Babel vs. Abraham: The Great Contrast

The Tower of Babel

The Call of Abraham

Built on human pride and technology.

Built on faith and God's word.

Aimed to "make a name for ourselves."

God promises to "make your name great."

Resulted in confusion and scattering.

Resulted in the "Great Gathering" of a new people.

Totalitarian (one forced language).

Universal (a blessing for all diverse nations).

Key Takeaway: For Bishop Barron, Abraham is the "Father of Faith" because he was the first person to stop trying to be God and start listening to Him. His life is the template for the spiritual life: a journey of detachment, trust, and being "sent" on a mission for others.