THE PROMISE

“I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant...” – Genesis 17:7

       Her husband promised that he would take care of her and their family. He fulfilled that by being a very good provider. But suddenly, he suffered a massive heart attack and died. During the wake, a man approached the wife to inform her that her husband had called him to sell a land property so that his family would be provided for. When she asked the date and time of the call, it was when her husband was already unconscious, if not dead. Her husband fulfilled his promise to take care of his family even when it was physically impossible to do so.

       The covenant we make when we get married is as binding as the covenant God made with Abraham. It transcends time, generations and physical barriers. God keeps His promise to take care of us even if we are unfaithful at times. There may be some who don’t even live godly lives but remain abundantly blessed. Maybe he or she had a godly parent or grandparent who prayed for his children or grandchildren, and God is honoring that person’s prayer. The blessing will continue to trickle down the generations because God is faithful to His convenant even when we are not. Ronna Ledesma (ronna_ledesma@yahoo.com.ph)

Reflection: Let’s make sure that our descendants will continue to be blessed by being the covenant keeper of our generation.

Father, thank You for honoring my mother’s faithfulness. I am reaping the blessing because of what she has done.

St. Magdalene of Canossa, pray for us.

Abraham means “father of the nations,” whereas Abram means, “father of a nation.” The promises offered to Abram by God are not just for him and his descendants but have relevance for all nations. As Paul will point out in the fourth chapter of his Letter to the Romans, Abraham is the father in faith for all men and women, not just the Jews.

3 When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him: 4 “My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. 5 No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. 6 I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you. 7 I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.” 9 God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”

R: The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

4 Look to the Lord in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. 5 Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. (R) 6 You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7 He, the Lord, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. (R) 8 He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations — 9 which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. (R)

The Jewish leaders fail to comprehend the spiritual significance of the words of Jesus. We live in a materially obsessed world and so our spiritual side can easily suffer. Let us be aware of this pitfall and do our best not to allow our desire for material possessions to overwhelm our need for spiritual nourishment.

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

51 Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” 52 So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

think:  Let us do our best not to allow our desire for material possessions to overwhelm our need for spiritual nourishment.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Exodus 38-40

“BEFORE ABRAHAM... I AM!”

The good Lord has just gifted me with something that I never planned and imagined. Concurrent with the celebration of my 25th year as a priest in April 2013, I had another chance to tour important places in Italy, France, Spain and Portugal with 34 Filipino pilgrims. Though the journey was dubbed essentially as a Marian Pilgrimage, the itinerary included visits to picturesque churches, cathedrals and basilicas in Rome, Pisa, Florence, Paris, Burgos, Madrid and Barcelona. It is a pity that we simply had to go in — “gobble up” the various mosaics, stained glass windows, paintings, and altar tableaus with our admiring eyes and high resolution cameras. The artworks in many of the churches are actually a source of rich theological and spiritual insights. One, however, needs to settle down and contemplate details, and note how these details are coordinated.

       A very important character of the altar pieces is that they narrate, illustrate and demonstrate to common people at a time when many could not read: how Jesus’ incarnation, ministry and passion bring the scattered events of the Old Testament to fulfillment and unity. For instance, the birth of Jesus through Mary comes at the end of a long line of mysterious births in the Bible, all made possible by divine intervention. The attempted sacrifice of Isaac by Abraham is represented as a pattern of Jesus’ sacrifice in Calvary to follow the Father’s will. The saving Cross of Jesus is prefigured by Moses’ act of curing rebellious Israelites through the figure of a brazen serpent hanging from a pole. The thesis is clear: The whole Bible, its many prophecies and events, are all summed up in one word: “Jesus.”

       Jesus, His earthly life and mission, launched the creativity of artists, artisans and builders of various ages. Indeed, He is the “I AM,” the Alpha and the Omega. Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How do you personally express your unique devotion to Jesus? What mysteries and events in the earthly life of Jesus do you take as motif for your own experiences in life?

Lord, help me to drink in the mystery of Your life and may it inspire me to follow You more closely and love You more dearly.