“This is the Blood of the Covenant
the LORD has Made with You"


Today's Mass Readings

Today’s first reading describes the most central and defining event of the entire Old Testament – God’s Covenant with the people of Israel. Thus far, God had made covenants only with individuals – with Noah, Abraham, Jacob. But now, he has made a Covenant with an entire people. There are certain similarities between this covenant and the contracts that people in the surrounding areas of the time made. They were generally written down and seal with blood. Blood indicated that either party was bound to honor the terms of the contract to the point of death or it would result in the death of the violating party. Thus, notice that in the first reading after Moses had communicated God’s laws to the people, they said, “We will do everything that the LORD has told us.” This is the ratification of the covenant.
Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then the covenant is sealed. As the reading says, “Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.”

Perhaps, now we can better appreciated what happened at the Last Supper. Jesus took the cup, gave thanks and said, “This is the cup of my blood; the blood of the New and everlasting Covenant. It will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.” On the mountain once again, God sealed a New Covenant. Only this time, it was not he blood of the lamb, but the blood of his only Son.

We enter into a Covenant with the God our Lord Jesus Christ at our baptism. Our baptismal promise should remind of the people of Israel who said, We relive and renew our Covenant every Sunday at the Eucharist. Thus, we too are a Covenant people. It is our fidelity to our Covenant that will bring us salvation. It is of primary important that we remain faithful to the Covenant we have made with God – in our words, deeds and life.