Understanding God’s covenant relationship with humanity is the very key to understanding the Bible. In the Old Testament, we see God make five covenants, each furthering his plan of salvation history. The sixth covenant marked by Jesus’ death and resurrection, is the New Covenant, fulfilling all of God’s Old Testament promises.

In today’s first reading, God is establishing the fourth of those sixth covenants, taking place after the Israelites are delivered out of Egypt. This covenant is famous for introducing the Ten Commandments, but there is more at play in terms of God’s larger plan. Let’s look at a specific verse from today’s reading below:

“Then he [Moses] took the blood and splashed it on the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you according to all these words.’” (Exodus 24:8) 

We find Jesus saying almost these exact words when he establishes the New Covenant during the Last Supper (see Mark 14:24, Matthew 26:28). What does this all mean? I will defer to Catholic theologian Scott Hahn to summarize in the quote below:

“His covenant at Sinai, as we've seen, is intended to fulfill His promise that through Abraham's descendants, He will bless all the nations of the world. So Israel is being consecrated here at Sinai as a "light to the nations," leading them in the ways of holiness (see Isaiah 42:6; 49:6)….This is a sign for us that what we're reading about here in Exodus "prefigures" the New Covenant - it is a partial fulfillment of God's plan. The ultimate fulfillment will come with Jesus.” (Covenant Love: Introducing the Biblical Worldview Lesson 4:3)

Today, I encourage you to reflect on God’s incredible plan for salvation and the many ways in which He has fulfilled the promises and prophecies of the Old Testament. 

What are some promises God makes that are particularly important to your heart and to your vision and understanding of who God is?

God's promises to Abraham and Moses, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, were that his blessings would be poured upon all people. How have you experienced the blessing of God in your own life?

What does God's great message of salvation mean for the world today? How does God carry out that plan of salvation in real, tangible ways?

"You are the hope of the world."

"You are Savior."

"You fulfill the promises of the Father."

Take some time today to study what is really happening in the Old Testament. Maybe get together with your Bible study or some friends who love to read Scripture and pray through it, or maybe take advantage of beautiful resources online like this one. Whatever you do, take some time today to engage your mind in the beauty of God's promises. 

In college a friend and I were discussing the Ten Commandments one night, as one does. He asked if I knew what came right before this passage in Exodus. I wasn't sure. I knew the commandments; I could even rattle them off in order - but I didn't know what came before.

Right before this episode the Israelites are delivered from slavery in Egypt. They had a profound experience of God in their lives, literally setting them free. Then they said to Moses, "How do we serve this God of yours?"

They had been enslaved in Egypt for 400 years so generations of Israelites had only seen how the Egyptians had served their many gods with Pharaoh being one of them.

Moses didn't have all the answers, the Scriptures weren't even written yet. So he goes to the top of the mountain to ask God how he and the people who were delivered should serve Him. Basically, "We know you love us; how do we love you in return?"

Moses comes back with the commandments. God said, "Here's how you love me."

I find this order to be curious because we tend to lead with the commandments. We start with the rules and then hope we'll encounter the Lord. But from the beginning it was not so. From the beginning it was love and encounter and salvation, then guidelines of how to love in return.

I'm not suggesting that if you don't have a relationship with the Lord you should go out and just start stealing and killing and coveting and lying. But I am suggesting that when we encounter people who don't know the Lord, we lead with the Good News that Jesus Christ became man, died on the cross, and rose again because he loves you and wants a relationship with you. 

Then we say, "here's how we love Him in return."

When you talk about the faith do you focus on all the rules or the love of Christ?

What's most difficult for you in following the Lord? 

How can you change your approach to sharing the faith to lead with the Lord's love?

"I want to serve you Lord."

"I want to love you."

​"I want to love you the way you've asked me to."

What's one thing you can do today to show people that God loves them beyond all measure?

All the readings tie together with St. James, the Apostle, the Feast day we celebrate today. We are taught that we must die to ourselves and true discipleship means serving others and not exalting ourselves or our works and ambitions.

Let’s take a look at St. James, who was one of the first Apostles to be martyred. He was one of the privileged Apostles to witness the Transfiguration, the raising from the dead the daughter of Jairus and the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Whoa, can you imagine witnessing all of these miracles? 

Despite these blessings, he had the nerve to ask for him and his brother, John, to be seated at a place of honor in the Kingdom in Mark’s Gospel (other Gospels say it was his mother). The brothers were known as “sons of thunder” because when they traveled with Jesus through Samaria, the Samaritans would not welcome Jesus because He was on His way to the hated land of Jerusalem. So, the brothers asked Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Of course, Jesus rebuked them.

In the first reading we are called to have death work in us so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. The Alleluia says Jesus chose us from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last. And the Gospel, Jesus taught them all the lesson of humble service and the purpose of their authority is to serve. Do not “Lord it over them” love and be kind in service to others.

I find it easily wrapped up in a nice package called humility. So, why is it that we don’t unwrap this package and unleash this needed gift? Even St. James, who has seen first hand the power of God, let his pride and ambition stand in his way. I like to think of humility as a never-ending, daily package I must unwrap every morning. We must pray for humility because is the virtue all other virtues are based.

We owe everything to God. We are blessed to know Him and have Him manifest His graces in us and transform us to be humble servants on this earth. To be Jesus’ servant is to be obedient to the Church, to do good, to be a witness of Jesus’ love for one another and never forget to trust fully in His providence. And all of that takes humility and to admit we can do nothing without God. We must fight the urge of pride this world tricks us into and grip onto humility with our lives.

The more we realize we need to open our daily package of humility, the more we can serve in the way Jesus desires us to serve. The more we pray for humility the more we will open ourselves to the Holy Spirit’s transforming graces and grow in virtue. Have you opened your gift today?

How do you view service and leadership? Does it match what Jesus tells us in the Gospel? How can you live as a servant-leader like Christ?

What are ideas are you holding onto that keep you from humility? What gets in your way of being truly humble and trusting in God?

How is God leading you towards humility and servant-leadership? How can you be more open to God's graces to grow more in virtue?

"You came to serve."

"You are truly humble."

"Transform my heart."

Pray the litany of humility. If you don't know it, Google the prayer and it will come right up. Spend time with it and pray through it slowly. Take your time to really mean what you are saying and let it bring you closer to God and His love. 

​For you. These words shout out to me from today's first reading. The Lord says, "I will rain down bread from heaven for you." When people give each other gifts or cards, many times it'll say, "just for you." The person giving the gift thought of you so much and this gift was made or given just for you. It's such a beautiful thought. I think that's why I love gift giving so much. It's not at all about the gift itself. The idea that someone thought of me and wanted to give something to me makes my heart fill up. 

In the first reading, the Israelites are doing something I'm very familiar with: whining. They are complaining about the mess they are in and how hard their lives are. They are whining about their situation. But even though they are whining, God gives them gift of manna from heaven. He rained down bread for them. 
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And He will rain down bread for you too. But it probably won't look like manna. God gave the people in the desert what they needed when they needed it. "In the morning, you shall have your fill so you may know that I, the Lord, am your God." The Lord sent this gift for the people. Their bodies needed a reminder that God was thinking of them and providing for them-even when they felt lost and abandoned. There have been many times in my life where I feel down or alone. To be honest, at those times, I was doing a lot of whining. But even in the midst of this, the Lord will surprise me. He will rain down a sort of manna in my life. He will do something that will make me think "for you". Megan, this is just for you. For example, when I was a super duper pregnant lady, I wanted new leggings. But it just wasn't in the budget to get brand new leggings. As I walked through Aldi (yes, the food store), I saw a pack of leggings in my exact size for $10. I stopped and smiled. I felt like the Lord had placed them there just for me. I've never seen them before and never again. For you, Megan. Seemed so silly and small, but it made me feel God's presence in my life. 
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No matter where I am in my life, in a desert, mountaintop, or Aldi, I can lean on the goodness of God. I can turn to Him with a grateful heart for all the ways He provides for my needs. Today, I remember all the times the Lord looks down on me in love and says, "For you." 

When has God provided something just for you? Thank Him for it today. 

What do you complain to God about? How does He patiently listen to you? 

How can you keep your grateful heart turned to the Lord? 

"I am the Lord your God." 

"For you."

"The Lord rains His love down for me."

Today, write God a thank you note. Tell Him thank you for the many gifts He has given to you, and pray with all the times He gave you a gift.