Tuesday, 8/2/16
The first reading concludes with God promising, “You will be
my people, and I will be your God.”
God was there promising to enter into a covenant with us.
While officiating at a marriage I like asking each party, “Have you come here freely, without reservation, to give
yourself to each other in marriage?” By assenting to that the man and the woman give themselves
to each other ever in a covenant.
We all know what a contract is. It is the seal on an
agreement between parties exchanging things of value. In buying a car or a
house you sign a contract to give your money in exchange for the car or the
house. Now, a covenant is also a contract, but one of a special kind. For,
instead of the parties exchanging things of value to each, they exchange their
selves.
Chapter Twenty-four of Exodus describes the ratification of
the covenant between God snd his people. While Moses was calling out the terms
of the covenant, and the people were assenting, young men carrying brass bowls
of blood circulated through the crowd, sprinkling blood on ever person, then
poring the rest of the blood on the altar of God. With the people believing
blood to be life itself, the people and God were all becoming one life.
While that ceremony in Exodus Twenty-four ratified the Old
Covenant. The New Covenant between Jesus and us is ratified in the Mass when the
priest speaks these words for Jesus:
“This is the chalice
of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant which will be poured
out for you and for many.”
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