But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days—oracle of the LORD. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
They will no longer teach their friends and relatives, “Know the LORD!” Everyone, from least to greatest, shall know me—oracle of the LORD—for I will forgive their iniquity and no longer remember their sin. (Jeremiah 31-33-34 NABRE)
The new covenant is an occasional prophetic theme, beginning with Hosea. According to Jeremiah, (a) it lasts forever; (b) its law (torah) is written in human hearts; (c) it gives everyone true knowledge of God, making additional instruction (torah) unnecessary. The Dead Sea Scroll community claimed they were partners in a “new covenant.” The New Testament presents the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as inaugurating a new covenant open to anyone who professes faith in Jesus the Christ.*
It seems to me, the Lord's relationship with his people has become closer with time. He gradually reveals himself to us, seeking ever more closeness, a process begun back in the days of Moses and which is restoring what was originally lost. His holy Spirit, which we believe comes to dwell within each of us, is how he reveals himself most vividly today. May we listen for the Spirit's whisper throughout this day.
Today, I will be grateful for God's new covenant and the presence of his Spirit within.
Saint John Vianney, patron of parish priests, pray for us.
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