Exodus 19:2-6
Psalm 100
Romans 5:6-11
Matthew 9:36-10:8
COVENANT AND KINGDOM
Today we hear about two important Biblical concepts - Covenant and Kingdom. In the Old Testament, God made covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses and David. In the New Testament, Jesus spoke about the kingdom of God more than anything else. We are reminded today that, "We are his people, the sheep of his flock" (Responsorial, Psalm 100).
EXODUS
Our first reading concerns the departure of the Israelites from Egypt in the 13th century BC. About three months after leaving Egypt, they arrive at Mount Sinai. Moses goes up the mountain to hear from God. There, the Lord promises to make a formal covenant with the people.
The Lord requires complete obedience to his covenant and law and, in turn, promises that they will be a "treasured possession among all peoples." God says, "You will be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation."
GOSPEL
Having heard about the covenant in the first reading, we hear now about the kingdom in the gospel. Jesus sees the state of the crowds, "troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd." He tells us to pray for more laborers for the harvest.
Then Jesus calls his Twelve Apostles and commissions them to go to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." They are to make the same proclamation that Jesus made as he began his ministry, as well as John the Baptist before him: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Jesus gives the apostles authority to heal, to cast out demons, and even to raise the dead.
ROMANS
Our second reading is from Romans and concerns justification, reconciliation, and salvation - all accomplished through the blood of Jesus. The point is that Christ died for us, helpless sinners, when we could do nothing to help ourselves. "But God proves his love for us in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
We are justified by the blood of Christ and saved from God's wrath. When we were enemies of God, because of the sin of Adam, we were reconciled to God through the death of Jesus. How much more will we be saved by his life...how much more indeed!
BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT
God made several covenants in the Old Testament, but the Lord Jesus gave us a new and eternal covenant in his blood, shed for our justification, reconciliation and salvation. This covenant is renewed at every Mass, using the very words of Consecration that Jesus said at the Last Supper.
Let us be thankful today for being people of the New Covenant and for being "a kingdom of priests, a holy nation." Through the grace of the Holy Spirit, may we live up to our high calling in Christ Jesus!