Renewing Our Covenant with the Lord

Homily for Saturday in the 1st Week of Lent

As we listen to the words of Moses from the Book of Deuteronomy this morning, it is important to remember the context of this lesson. The children of Israel are camped on the eastern side of the River Jordan, ready to cross over its waters into the land flowing with milk and honey. Their journey to the Promised Land has gone on for forty years. Shortly after they escaped from Egypt, God struck a covenant with them, promising that they would be God’s chosen people if they obeyed the commandments of that covenant.

However, after a few incidents of failing to live up to the covenant, they spent forty years – two generations – wandering through the desert. After forty years, God is prepared to let them enter the Holy Land. However, Moses makes them stop and review the expectations that God has of them. Even though the original covenant was struck forty years before, Moses keeps reminding them that God is asking them to remain faithful today.

God expects the same of us. Each and every day, our covenant relationship must be renewed. This is not a “one and done” kind of agreement. This is precisely why the Church asks us to profess our faith at each Sunday liturgy and to renew our baptismal promises each year at Easter. God is not interested in yesterday. Tomorrow may never come. What really matters is “TODAY.” Our relationship with God and our neighbor will be judged in the present moment.

Each celebration of the Eucharist reminds us of the covenant relationship we have with God. Each Eucharist in which we participate is a covenant renewal ceremony, a covenant that expects us to show love for all our brothers and sisters.

Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator