Saturday, July 27, 2013 Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary Meditation on the Reading Exodus 24:3-8 “This is the blood of the covenant.” (Exodus 24:28) Imagine God as a seasoned businessman contemplating a contract with Israelites. He would probably be very hard pressed to justify working with them—it was far too risky. Could he have any guarantee at all that they would be able to live up to their end of the bargain? But God is far more than a businessman. He is a loving Father and a merciful Creator. And so he decided to go through with the covenant with Moses and the people. What’s more, he told Moses to seal the covenant by sprinkling the blood of sacrificial animals on both the altar—representing the Lord—and on the people as a whole. Such a dramatic gesture showed the people how permanent the bond was that God was establishing with them. Don’t you find it amazing that God allowed everyone to be sprinkled with blood? He didn’t restrict his covenant only to the elite or the holiest among them. He embraced the good, the bad, and even the worst. They all belonged to him—and he now belonged to all of them. What a display of mercy and love! God takes a rather imperfect lot and enters into a covenant with them. This moving image paves the way for the new covenant that Jesus made with all of humanity. On the cross, Jesus shed his own perfect blood. And he shed it for each and every one of us. No one is excluded—good, bad, or worst. No one is outside of his mercy. This is how amazing God’s love is. He doesn’t wait for us to be perfect before he will bind himself to us. He doesn’t try a “test period” to see whether or not it will work out. With the full abandon of a smitten lover, he commits everything he is to us and seals it in the most permanent way possible. You—yes, you—have been chosen and destined by the Lord. You are under the covenant protection of his very blood. Spend your prayer today rejoicing in this fact. Praise God for his faithfulness to you. Go ahead and receive all the love he has for you today. Prayer: “Father, I want to reap the fruits of your covenant more fully. Lord, I am amazed that you have given yourself to me completely!” Readings: Psalm 50:1-2, 5-6, 14-15; Matthew 13:24-30 wau.org/meditations/current/
Posted on: Sat, 27 Jul 2013 20:23:54 +0000
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