Friday, October 20, 2017

Righteousness Through Faith


Brothers and sisters: It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. Romans 4:13

"Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say." Luke 12:9-12

Piety
The Lord remembers his covenant forever. Psalm 105:8

Study
The Lord remembers his covenant forever. The Lord re-members his covenant forever.

The covenant promise has been enduring throughout Sacred Scripture and traditions. It is nothing new but we tend to treat it as new when we re-open our eyes.  It is never new to the Lord.

(Genesis 12:7) The LORD appeared to Abram and said: To your descendants, I will give this land. So, Abram built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.

(Sirach 44:21) For this reason, God promised him with an oath to bless the nations through his descendants, to make him numerous as grains of dust, and to exalt his posterity like the stars, Giving them an inheritance from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

(Galatians 3:16) Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his descendant. It does not say, “And to descendants,” as referring to many, but as referring to one, “And to your descendant,” who is Christ.

Certainly, we have come to expect an all-powerful, gracious and merciful God to remember us.  God is able to keep us always at the forefront of his mindful awareness.  However, we do not always respond with equal awareness.  It’s easy to get distracted by life, by stuff, by problem relationships, by addictions, and more. We must place God to the forefront of our “mindfulness” when we face such distractions…when other “stuff” fills up the time and space in our hearts that we should set aside for the Lord to abide. 

When we do so in return, we remain “members” in good standing. 
When we are distracted or stray, our membership in the covenant community is severed.  The Lord puts it back together through his love and mercy. He welcomes us back into that community when we change the direction in which we seek happiness. When we change our distracted ways and return like Prodigals, we are re-membered into the community.

The Lord remembers his covenant forever. The Lord re-members his covenant forever.

Action
How solid is your relationship in the community of the faithful?  Are you remembering to fully rely on God? Or do you need to call on reinforcements to bring you back?

Long have I waited for your coming home to me and living deeply our new life. (From Come Back to Me, Gregory Norbet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84Z5pBxtUuk

No comments: