Promises, Promises

Jun 28: Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

What’s the difference between a covenant and a contract?

Despite what Mr. Hutz tells us, contracts can be broken; there’s simply a penalty attached.

A covenant is not a deal or exchange. It’s a promise from God, who is Truth itself. A covenant literally cannot be broken.

Reading 1

Gn 15:1-12, 17-18

The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great."

But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?" Abram continued, "See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir."

Then the word of the LORD came to him: "No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir." He took him outside and said: "Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so," he added, "shall your descendants be." Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.

He then said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession."

"O Lord GOD," he asked, "how am I to know that I shall possess it?"

He answered him, "Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." Abram brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them. As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.

When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River the Euphrates."

God makes two offers to Abram, who responds to both in kind of a rude way. First, he complains that he doesn’t have any children to share his inheritance with. When God says that won’t be a problem, Abram asks for a sign. I guess talking to God wasn’t enough of a sign for him?

But God is patient. He gives Abram a sign, alright—first, terrifying darkness, then living fire. God consumed Abram’s offering, which in ancient times meant the covenant was sealed. God won’t go back on His deal.

In the verses we skipped over, though, God predicts that Abram’s descendants will violate the covenant, and will be enslaved for four hundred years. God enters into the covenant, knowing full well that Israel won’t keep up their end of the bargain. Because God has a plan, for Abram’s descendants, the Jews, and one particular person—Jesus.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations—
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

This is a hymn of praise, that God fulfilled his promise to Abraham, to give him the land of Canaan. And so we ask God for his strength, so that we can maintain our promises to Him.

Alleluia

Jn 15:4a, 5b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord;
whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

We can’t do much, or anything, without Jesus. But with Him, we’ll do great things.

Gospel

Mt 7:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them."

Many Christians (“sheep”) were led astray by Gnosticism. Like a wolf in sheep’s clothing, the Gnostics claimed to be following Jesus’ teachings, even claiming He was a Gnostic. But at its heart, Gnosticism denied the central Christian doctrines—creation, the Incarnation, and the Trinity.

St. Irenaeus fought against these heretics in Gaul. His greatest work was the Adversus Haereses, a refutation of Gnostic theology, which spread rapidly in Latin translation. Irenaeus’ writings were a significant force in Gnosticism’s demise.

Gnosticism bore bad fruit; Irenaeus bore good fruit. It’s why we know, more than eighteen hundred years later, Irenaeus is a saint. We celebrate his feast day today.

Pray for us, St. Irenaeus, that we will fulfill our end of the New Covenant with God, and not be led astray by heresies.