God's faithfulness

For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. (Rom 11)


God's faithfulness is the bedrock of our faith.  God will not, cannot, revoke his Covenant with us.  It is unilateral.  Unlike other contracts or covenants which are bilateral or mutual, God's covenant with us is gratuitous. God's covenant does not need to be confirmed by our willingness to accept it or live within it.  It is pure gift.


At the same time, when we remember the nature and power of God's covenants with us, especially the New Covenant in Jesus, we realize again that we are made in God's image and must strive to love others, even our enemies, as God loves us.  We love others in faith not because they appreciate, celebrate or return our love. We love others in faith to be like God. 


This is something we must practice daily.  It is rarely, if ever, easy.  But like so much else about life and faith if we don't practice it, it withers and eventually dies.  Many friends of mine, committed to getting in shape and living a healthy life, bought a simple piece of exercise equipment, and rode it, walked on it or lifted it for a week or more, but before long it found its way to a closet or the basement where even now it gathers dust, a humbling reminder of our failure to be consistent and faithful.

When we fail to practice our faith by gathering regularly with others, reflecting on the scriptures, celebrating the sacraments and serving those most in need, our faith weakens and crumbles.  All of us know this, and today's scriptures remind us to remember that God, despite our failures to live the Covenants he has made with us, remains faithful. Like the Canaanite woman in today's gospel, who keeps asking Jesus for help even when he ignores her and remains silent, God keeps pestering us in the hope that we will hear and respond to the call of discipleship.  


Just for today, go to church, read a passage from scripture, or respond to someone in need.  Practice, a day at a time, will eventually become a habit and will strengthen us for the journey ahead.


Though this blog is only a few days old, I will not post again until the end of this week because I will be on my yearly retreat.  Please say a prayer for me that I might root myself again in the advice I give to others. And say a prayer for yourself that God  might make you consistent, transparent and vulnerable in the practice of faith.