“God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.’” Genesis 9, 8-15
The covenant made with Noah is unique among the covenants in the Bible. In it, God makes all the commitments. In every covenant that follows, there will be mutual responsibilities, and the covenant will revolve around each side keeping their obligations. Other covenants will, indeed, follow, like the one with Abraham and Sarah and another which Moses mediates on a mountain top. But there is always something more to these covenants than the mutual obligations: there is an understanding that the obligations were the bare minimum, and that something more was always expected.
There are many things to focus on during Lent, but “covenant” has to near the top of the list. God has established the definitive covenant with us in His Son and it is a covenant renewed by God every day, especially every time we gather to celebrate the Eucharist. How do we respond to that covenant and its constant renewal? Do we ask ourselves how little we need to do to fulfill our part of the “pact?” Do we see it as a matter of “keeping the rules?” Or, does it lead us to freedom and into the Kingdom? For example, a rule says: “no meat on Friday.” Is that the best we can do? A commandment says: “Do not kill.” Have we done anything to give life? Another commandment says: “Do not steal.” Have we given anything away to someone who has nothing?
The covenant we have in the Body and Blood of Christ is about being more than average, it is about doing more than just getting by, it is about living more deeply, joyfully, and freely – by doing little things and big things that are not required, but freely chosen out of love – for one another and for God.
