AVSENIK NABERGOJ, Irena. 2024. Mastering emotions in accepting the death of loved ones through the power of faith in Old Testament narratives.

The Bible immerses us in the depths of faith and emotion through the story of Abraham, who stands ready to offer his son Isaac (Genesis 22:1-19). Abraham’s example goes beyond human nature and paternal love, for his unconditional devotion to God enables him to master his deepest emotions and demonstrate complete obedience to God’s will. In this way, he embodies a faith rooted in a transcendent, meta-historical truth beyond human reason. A similar strength of faith is found in the mother of the Maccabees, who encourages her seven sons to accept death rather than renounce their faith, as demanded by the pagan ruler Antiochus (2 Macc 7). This mother’s courage reverberates through history, echoed later by the Jewish matron Rachel, who follows a similar path during the massacre of the Jewish community in Mainz in 1096. Drawing on biblical and historical primary sources, this paper demonstrates how faith can overcome even the most powerful emotions, leading to acts of selfless sacrifice that resonate deeply within theology and liturgy. While Jewish and Christian liturgies today interpret sacrifice not as the literal giving of life, but as a symbolic and spiritual commitment to faith, these ancient narratives continue to inspire a profound dedication.

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