Daring Discipleship in the New Covenant
(Jer 31: 31-34; Psalm 51: 3-4, 12-15; Heb 5: 7-9; John 12: 20-33)
Fr. Nelson Lobo OFM Cap
The Difference between the Old & the New Covenant: – The words “New Covenant” indicates that Jeremiah is comparing two different covenants through which God established a relationship with his people. If God is going to make a new covenant, that means there was an old one. The first reading tells us that if the people, observed his laws and observed his commands, he would bless them. But if they failed to live as his law instructed, they would suffer. Yet before the ink was dry on the old covenant, they had already broken it by engaging in all sorts of pagan immorality. They had forgotten what God had done for them. Now let us fast-forward several hundred years to the sixth century B.C., When Jeremiah served the little nation of Judah, the remaining fragment of God’s Covenant. Now Jeremiah’s book is filled with doom and gloom and warnings to the tribe of Judah, because the people had forsaken God. They had forsaken him time and time again. Finally, God gave them a seventy-year “time out”. He allowed an enemy nation to attack, defeat, and deport them from their homeland for seven decades. That was the historical backdrop about today’s first reading.
We the people have continued in that sinful tradition. In reality, this game show has been played over and over in God’s word, beginning in the Garden of Eden. God had given Adam the sweetest deal. Free run of the Garden, a beautiful wife, peace, no war, no famine, no poverty, no hate, and an intimate personal relationship with the creator of the universe. Then Satan came along (Genesis 3) tempting Eve with a new deal. One that he portrays as a better Deal. Satan basically says to Eve that if she takes his deal she will be like God. There is an old saying “Opportunity knocks once but temptation beats on the door every day.” We are constantly being tempted to take a bad deal.
What does God’s “New deal” or the New covenant offers us?
“‘This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people, ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.'” This New Covenant was no longer only to the Old Testament people but also for the New Testament people as well. The new covenant relationship with God is not based on what people do. It is based on God, on Jesus Christ. The promised Messiah brought this new covenant relationship to fruition by his sacrifice: “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jer 31:34; Heb 8:12). Iniquity against God pardoned for the sake of his Son. He will separate our Sins as far as the East is from the West and He will cast them into the depths of the sea (Psalm 103:12; Micah 7:19). This is the New Covenant, a covenant of Grace. A New Covenant based on faith, not obedience to a law. Through this New Covenant we are set free from the bondage of sin no longer slaves but children of God.
Daring Discipleship: We live in a world where heavenly things confuse our earthly minds. Jesus tells us that our very usefulness or our fruitfulness for God is tied to our willingness to surrender our lives even to die for Him. There are about six instances where Jesus mentions bearing fruit as a Christian – and five of those are tied to the cross or dying. In Short – it is in dying and not in doing that we bear fruit for God. Some examples of biblical contradictions that human mind finds hard to understand.
We see unseen things (2 Cor. 4:18); We conquer by yielding (Rom. 6:16-18); We find rest under a yoke (Mt. 11:28-30); We reign by serving (Mark 10:42-44); We are made great by becoming little (Luke 9:48); We are exalted by being humble (Mt. 23:12); We become wise by being fools for Christ’s sake (1 Cor. 1:20, 21); We are made free by becoming His bond servants (Rom. 6:10); We wax strong by being weak (2 Cor. 12:10); We triumph by defeat (2 Cor. 12:7-9); We find victory by glorying in our infirmities (2 Cor. 12:5); We live by dying (John 12:24, 25; 2 Cor. 4:10,11)
Conclusion: Jesus is looking for people who will follow Him with a reckless abandon. He wants people who will throw caution to the wind and embark on the journey called discipleship. Jesus is searching for a few daring hearts who will fully devote themselves to Him. Jesus is searching for people who will give their lives for Him. Jesus is looking for people just like you and me. The only question that remains is this: will you join the journey? Will you take up the call Jesus issues: Come, follow me? Will you dare to be a disciple? Discipleship is not for sissies.
“When Christ calls someone; He bids them to come and die”.
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer- German theologian)