Corpus Christi Blog

Living the Covenant

06-07-2015HomiliesFr. Chad King

Most Catholics know that they should go to Mass every Sunday, and some know that it is a mortal sin if a Catholic does not (which by the way it still is); however, few Catholics really understand why. And so it is not knowing why going to Mass is so necessary, or not understanding what happens at Mass, which makes it easier and easier to think that it is OK to not go as long as one believes in God. Our readings today explain what happens at Mass and therefore why going to Mass is essential. For some these readings might appear to be hard too lofty or mystical understand, but they are vital to our understanding of the Eucharist, so let me do my best to explain.

In our 1st reading Moses related all the words and ordinances that the Lord God gave to the Israelites to follow. And they all answered with one voice, "We will do everything that the Lord has told us". What the people said was they would obey the Commandments- they would worship no other gods but the Lord alone, they would keep holy the Sabbath, etc. etc. But with the history of His people not being faithful to their promises, one can't blame God for not just accepting the words of the people. We must learn from this reading that God does not just want to be paid lip-service, but actions should prove what is said.

Therefore the Lord entered into a Covenant with His people. A covenant is much more than a contract. In a contract, goods or things are exchanged- this item is exchanged for this amount of money, for example. And one can be sued for not upholding a contract. But in a Covenant there isn't an exchange of things, but instead people; and the consequence for not upholding the Covenant is much more severe than being sued. The Covenants made between God and His people meant that God would be their God, and they would be God's people. And although God's people kept breaking the Covenants through their sin, God who is ever faithful, time after time again made a new Covenant with His people.

Our 1st reading goes on to describe how one of the Covenants was entered into. Moses built an altar and then young bulls were brought to be sacrificed. It is important to know that these animals were some of the false-gods that the people worshipped. So to offer to God these animals, the people were saying to God "I love you Lord more than this false-god". And what is more, is the animal had to be sacrificed. It was not enough to just push it off to the side, only to bring it back in front later. But for the Covenant to be made, the animal had to be sacrificed. By doing so, the people would be declaring, "If I break this Covenant with God, may what happened to this animal, happen to me". The people understood- "woe to me, death becomes me, if I not uphold this Covenant". Therefore, the Covenants had life and death consequences- the people knew they deserved death for breaking a Covenant. However, they also understood that life would be theirs if they upheld the Covenant and obeyed the Commandments. By seeing the death of the animal they sacrificed, with the blood spilled out, they knew that they were being saved and life was coming to them.

One of the best examples of a Covenant is the Passover. You have probably heard of the Passover. Hopefully you remember that the first Passover was what released God's people from the harsh treatment and slavery under Pharaoh. For the Passover, God commanded every family to offer a male lamb, sacrifice it, roast it, and eat it with unleavened bread. This was to be their last supper in bondage, it was their final meal as slaves and it prepared and strengthened them for their journey to freedom. The Israelites did just as the Lord commanded, and they were saved. And God commanded that the Israelites celebrate the Passover every year in remembrance of what the Lord had done in saving them.

It is important for us to understand then, that the Covenants were seen not just as symbols, they did not just represent an agreement between God and His people. But by the Israelites actually offering their false-gods to be sacrificed by the priest, seeing the blood poured out for them, then the action of the ritual helped their hearts to be more devoted to God alone. After all our 2nd tells us that the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of the heifer's ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that they are cleansed. The Israelites believed that they were sanctified and cleansed through the ritual actions of the Covenant. And in case of the Passover- the sacrificing of the lamb, spilling its blood, and eating of the lamb with unleavened bread not only helped to set them free but it also was the food which strengthened them for the journey to freedom. So the Covenants were much more than empty rituals that were repeated, they were actually the agents by which they were saved.

Our 2nd reading builds upon the action and meaning of the Covenants by saying that Jesus Christ made a new, final, and everlasting covenant- but this time it is not the sacrifice and the blood of an animal being spilled which will save them. While celebrating the final Passover with his disciples, Jesus took the bread and instead of focusing on the flesh of the lamb to be eaten in order to be saved, Jesus says, "this is MY body". And instead of the blood of the lamb being spilled and sprinkled, Jesus says "This is MY blood of the Covenant".

Then suddenly Jesus goes to the Mount of Olives and hands himself over to his torturers to be crucified. By doing so Jesus made himself the new Passover lamb. We know that Jesus offered himself to be sacrificed; He allowed his blood to be shed. Just as the Israelites believed that they were sanctified and cleansed through the blood of their sacrifice, our 2nd reading goes on to say, "how much more will the blood of Christ cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God". And as the new Passover lamb that was sacrificed with its blood spilled, then it must be eaten in order to be saved. For it is not enough to just believe that Jesus suffered and died for us, just as it was not enough for the Israelites that the Passover lamb just be sacrificed. But they had to, just as do we, have to eat the Lamb in order to be saved and be set free from our slavery to sin. Today, we can't just say we believe in Jesus, but our actions must show it; or better said, the actions of our Sacramental rituals is what saves us.

Every Mass is the final Passover celebrated, it is the new Covenant that Jesus Christ instituted once and for all being renewed over and over again. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. In this Covenant we are saying, "we will heed and do all that the Lord has said". Jesus commands us to have no other gods before Him, Jesus commands us to keep holy the Sabbath. Jesus commands us to "Do this in remembrance of me". The Mass is our commitment, our covenant with the Lord. If we truly live our lives with God first, then we must worship every Sunday. Therefore, by not going to Mass on vacation, by not going to Mass somewhere because of sport games or tournaments, by not coming to Mass if we are able, then we are choosing other gods before God Himself. By not keeping this Covenant we enter into at our baptism, by not doing what God commands for us to do, then we are not being saved; but instead are bringing death upon us. The Israelites understood the meaning and power of the Covenant. They understood, "woe to me if I break the Covenant".

And my brothers and sisters, if we sin mortally- spiritual death has come upon us. And no amount of food given to someone who is flat-lined will bring them back to life, they must resuscitated. The Sacrament of Confession is that resuscitation through which we are guaranteed to come to life again. And once alive again, then we must eat the Heavenly food that will sustain the life within us and strengthen us as we journey to our Promised Land of Heaven.

That is why it is necessary that we as Catholics come to Mass every Sunday. We must uphold the Covenant and worship our God for our salvation! We are in relationship with the Almighty. So we must live out this Covenant, and then we must pray for and lovingly invite our loved ones who are not keeping theirs. Can you explain that to all your fallen away family and friends in a loving and inviting, non- judgmental, way?

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