2 April 2020
Thursday of the 5th Week of Lent
Today’s readings speak to us of ancestry and inheritance. Our ancestry shines forth in our family members’ eyes, noses, and hair color. When visiting relatives, people seem to end up pulling out old photo albums and / or talking about relatives who have gone before us; we share updates on various family members’ relationships, children, grandchildren, illnesses, and achievements. Hopefully, during the “stay at home” requirement due to COVID 19, we have been checking on our loved ones at least by phone.
It’s amazing how much we can resemble our ancestors, and it’s often easy to pick out who’s related (or not related) just by looking at the photos. We are fascinated with the possibility of discovering where and who we came from. Just google to see the membership of Ancestory.com. In the Book of Genesis, God tells Abram “I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants . . . an everlasting pact.” The question is, “Would someone recognize you and me as descendants of Abraham by our faith?”
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us that we will never see death if we are true to his word and maintain our faithfulness to the covenant. Through Abraham, our inheritance is the kingdom. We are in the direct line to inherit that kingdom from a God who loves us and keeps his covenant with us throughout the ages.
Let us Pray,
Be near, O Lord, to those who plead before you,
and look kindly on those who place their hope in your mercy,
that, cleansed from the stain of their sins,
they may persevere in holy living
and be made full heirs of your promise.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.