5th Sunday of Lent “B”

vaticannews.vaBy Fr M. Makama

The promise of a new covenant in Jer. 31:31-34 is the only place in the Old Testament where a new covenant is directly mentioned. In other places only reminiscences are found. At this point in the History of the people of God they were at their lowest, the Temple had been destroyed. They are in exile. They have also lost their land. This translates to a nation which has lost its identity because the Temple and the land were the two sources of their identity. In the midst of all these mishaps God promises them something beautiful, a new covenant which will be engraved in their hearts. This is a source of hope and strength for them.

The fulfilment of this promise doesn’t happen in their lifetime. It comes much later when the hour of the Son of Man to be glorified begins to beckon. For the mediator of the New Covenant is the Son of Man and he mediates it by willingly losing his life so that like a grain of wheat that is planted he may bear much fruit. The fruit that his death bears is redeemed humanity, a new humanity which is the family of God. Indeed by his obedience to God, he is the source of eternal life for all who obey him.

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