To make the proper distinction, a contract is made between two parties for some consideration, and running for a time certain. If one of the parties breaches the contract -- fails to perform contractual obligations -- the other party is excused or can seek legal remedies. In a covenant, God is party to matters of supreme importance. A covenant is not time-sensitive; it is eternal. And if one party to covenant breaches, it does not excuse the other party. The one who has been unfaithful can always return.
God likes to make covenants and each is eternal, for God does not lie or go back on any promises. Let's take a look. The first was the Noahic Covenant. After conclusion of the flood story, based largely on the Gilgamesh Epic that preceded it, God sets his rainbow in the sky as a sign of God's fidelity and creates a covenant with all humanity. It has seven commandments, of which one is kindness towards animals, and another is establishing honorable government. It may be that we fulfill that covenant without knowing it.
Next comes today's tale of Abraham. Remember that he follows the old migration route from Ur (in what is now Iraq) to Palestine. There the one then called Abram receives a vision of God in which he is called into covenant to found a nation through his own biological descent. He trusts God. Then he goes to Egypt and back, goes on in life to be wealthy, and then later is separated from Lot who is returned. By then Sarah's biological clock is really ticking; in fact, it's wound down; and Abram is not getting any younger. Finally he complains, and God reiterates and enhances the promises. Soon his wife Sarah becomes miraculously pregnant, and what God has promised --that Abram will be father of many nations -- becomes reality for this patriarch who trusted the Lord.
Now we look at the Mosaic Covenant. Under the leadership of Moses, the Jewish People are born out of the slavery experience deep in Egypt. They are reborn through the waters of the Red Sea, which parts for them, and God leads Hebrews in two manifestations, a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire. Just like the parting of that sacrificial animal and the priest carrying fire or smoke to symbolize God's presence. At Mount Sinai the covenant is sealed and an important new chapter of history begins. This lovely covenant with God, like any other, is eternal. Despite misstatements in the late pseudo-Pauline epistles, the Jewish covenant has not been annulled or replaced. God does not lie or go back on any promises.
Now we come to our covenantal relationship. We have passed through the new Red Sea waters of holy baptism. There we receive our freedom. For we are prone to be slaves to selfishness, pleasure, wealth, and many addictions and many compulsions which keep us from abundant life. Christ came to set us free! The death of the Son of God exposed the bankruptcy of the world's powers and dominion systems, of all empires and their false values. Jesus once for all led them captive to his cross, and it is there we find salvation and eternal life. At every Mass we celebrate and renew our unique covenant with God, even as we receive the Body and Blood of the Risen Christ in Holy Communion.
Lent is a great time to be strengthened as covenant people, in order to serve the world in Christ's
name. An important part of that process is to take better care of ourselves so we can be strong witnesses in word and deed to God's promises. For we are standing on the promises.
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