Thursday April 2,2009

Thursday April 2, 2009 of the fifth week in Lent
Readings Genesis 17: 3-9 Psalm 105: 4-9 John 8: 51-59
Psalm Response: The Lord remembers His covenant forever”

The Church ties the readings from Exodus with John 8.
Abram was found to be a righteous man who loved and obeyed the Lord without reservation. On God’s word, Abram left the security of His earthly father’s house, his tribe, his family members and familiar surroundings to travel, on foot, hundreds of miles, to a land unknown to him on the promise of God, he would be the father of nations.
Beyond the age where he would naturally be incontinent, Abram ventured tom Canaan with his wife, his cousin Lot and what meager possessions he had.
God blessed him and renamed him Abraham, the Father of many nations because he did not hesitate to put Faith in God beyond rationality.
Our nature would demand proof positive before we’d go across town on someone’s promise. Abraham truly was justified by his Faith..

We must follow the instruction from the psalmist. God promised His Son. His Son promised His Body and Blood as spiritual food for our souls. Until we are dead, we can rely on His covenant. Then we will see His promise eternally unfold!

The Gospel gives us pause to rely on the literal meaning of Jesus’ words when He says, “ Any of you who keep my word will never see death”
Otherwise we’ll fall into the everlasting pit with His detractors!
Here, in these verses, we hear Jesus claim, “I Am!” God, having been eternally begotten, Jesus was present at the creation of Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah and Rachel.
Hw chose to acknowledge being present, in their terms, before, during and after Abraham was!
The Jews were incensed! They might have killed Him on the spot. However, it wasn’t His, God’s time!
At times we forget the attributes of God. He is able by His Divine Essence to be here, there and everywhere at one and the same time.
Listen to Him!