Friday, January 16, 2015

One of the most important words in the Bible: Covenant: Daily Mass Homily--Wednesday, January 14th, 2015


(Listen to this homily here).

            This morning I want to talk about one of the most important words in the Bible—covenant.  A covenant is a promise that lasts forever.  Everybody say that together.  A covenant is a promise that lasts forever.
            There are many covenants between God and His people.  The first one took place in the beginning of the Bible with the first people ever—anyone remember who that was?  They lived in a garden…they were visited by a snake…Adam and Eve!  You are right.  God promised Adam and Eve that He would be with them forever.  They were to love God and each other and take care of all creation.
            Next up—who was the man who built an ark?  Remember it rained a lot and he had to take all the animals and his family onto the ark to save them?  Noah!  And remember the sign of God’s covenant—the promise that lasts forever with Noah?  A rainbow.  Very good.  God promised never to flood the earth again, and as a sign to Noah he put the rainbow in the sky so that every time we see a rainbow we will be reminded of God’ love.
            Finally, I am thinking of the best king Israel had.  He defeated a man by the name of Goliath.  Who was he?  David.  Yep.  God promised David that He would establish His kingdom on earth for all time. 
            Now here is what is really cool.  We have all of these covenants—with Adam and Eve, Noah, David and many others.  But who gave us the greatest covenant?  Jesus!  Yep—when it doubt, answer Jesus!  Yes, Jesus promised us forgiveness by dying on the cross for our sins.  Look at Jesus on the cross!  Look at Jesus in the tabernacle!  Jesus is here!
            One last time, what is a covenant?  A promise that lasts forever.  May we be faithful to God’s covenant He made with us through His son, Jesus Christ.

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