Scripture Reflection March 1, 2009: Renewing the Covenant

Scripture Readings:
Genesis 9: 8-15
Psalm 25
1 Peter 3: 18-22
Mark 1: 12-15

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I was speaking on the telephone this week with a couple who are dear friends of mine. I have been close to this family for years and often stay at their home. Recently Mary (as I will call her) was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had surgery last month and is currently undergoing a lengthy regimen of radiation treatments. Mary and John have always been very committed to each other, working hard to build a solid marital relationship and strong family bonds. But it seems that this sudden diagnosis of cancer has brought them even closer. In my conversations with them during the past few weeks, I have sensed that this has been a time of reaffirming their commitment to each other. It seems to be a time of renewal in their relationship. I commented to John about the way in which he has been so supportive of Mary throughout this ordeal. He responded, “Well, I just have to make sure I take care of my best friend.” I was struck by the simplicity and sincerity of his response.

If the bonds of loyalty and commitment between people are to remain strong, they must be renewed. Sometimes that renewal takes place in the context of a celebration, like a wedding anniversary. At other times it happens in more difficult and challenging moments, as with my friends dealing with a diagnosis of cancer. Whether it is a relationship with a spouse, an important friendship, or even our connection with a faith community, there need to be significant moments of remembrance and reaffirmation. Covenants of fidelity between people must be spoken and re-spoken. We will never be able to make it through the confusing and trying times of life if we do not take time to remember the promises we have made and to renew those promises at later moments and in different circumstances.

The Scripture readings for this Sunday speak to us about covenant and commitment. The reading from the Book of Genesis recounts God’s covenant with Noah and, through Noah, with all of humanity. God pledges to be the God of life, the God whose purpose is not to destroy but to preserve and redeem creation. God himself will recall this promise he has made to Noah. The First Letter of Peter picks up on the image of Noah and his family being “saved through water” in order to remind the Christian community of the meaning of baptism. These believers are reminded that through baptism they have entered into a covenant with God in Christ. This baptismal bond is based on the gracious love of God poured out in Christ, who was “put to death in the flesh” but “brought to life in the Spirit.” These Christians, and all of us today, are reminded that we who believe in the crucified and risen Christ are pledged to God.

Mark’s account of Jesus’ time of fasting and prayer in the desert is deceptively simple. He tells us only that Jesus “remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan”, adding that “angels ministered to him.” For the people of the Bible, the desert was a place rich in meaning. It was the place where people encountered the power of God and the power of evil -- where choices were clearer. It had been the place of testing for the people of Israel journeying to the promised land. For the prophets, the desert was a kind of “honeymoon spot” where God’s beloved people were alone the Lord and called back to fidelity to him. It is clear that for Jesus his experience in the desert was one of deepening commitment to the will of the Father and to the mission which he was about to undertake. Mark tells us that Jesus returns from the desert and begins his proclamation of the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” He will be deeply and courageously committed to this proclamation to his very death.

As in other relationships like marriage or a close friendship, we need to take time to renew our pledge to God and to strengthen our bonds of loyalty with the Lord. We know that we must do this because at times we have been unfaithful in that relationship. We also need opportunities for renewal because life can just get so busy, complex and demanding. It is very easy for us to lose our focus, to forget that there is nothing more important in our lives than our commitment to Christ. We need this time, too, because the call of the Lord, which we have heard throughout our lives, relates to ever new circumstances. So, we need to reflect on the way in which Christ is inviting us to be faithful to him at this moment in life: as a college student pursuing my education and involved in a busy social life; as a single young adult trying to discern my vocation; as a married person facing the challenges of building a life-giving marriage; as a parent struggling to provide the right guidance for my children; as a teenager trying to fit in and deal with pressures from my friends; as an older person who cannot do as much as before but who still wants to make the most of my time and energy. In order to strengthen our bonds of loyalty to Christ we need to continue to listen to God in the different seasons of our lives.

Six weeks from now, on Easter Sunday, we will publicly renew our baptismal vows and be blessed with the Easter water – a sign of new life in Christ. In order to be able to say those words in a meaningful way, it is important to enter into this season of Lent and recognize the opportunity that it is for us. We are given the opportunity to strengthen our bonds with Christ through traditional Lenten practices: a more focused effort at prayer; healthy ways of self-sacrifice; the gift of our time and treasure to the poor and others in need. Lent is also a time of remembering together. We will listen to accounts of the great events of Jesus’ life: his preaching, suffering, death and resurrection. We will tell the story of Jesus with reverence and gratitude. As we pledge to strengthen our bonds of faithfulness to Christ, may we gaze on his cross. We see in the outstretched arms of Christ the great sign of his undying love for us, of his enduring faithfulness to us. May Lent be a season of grace for us, a time for all of us to renew our covenant with God in Christ and to experience the joy that comes from that relationship.

Fr. Robin Ryan, cp