*Bible Story* (Mass Reading on March 30, 2023) The Ark of the Covenant Passes Through Jordan River – Tissot
April 7
This artwork by Tissot shows young Jewish men carrying the Ark of the Covenant through the miraculously-parted waters of the Jordan river.
When God commands His people to keep His covenant, He is ordering us to persevere in a love for Him that motivates service to Him in all that we do (see also 6:4–5; Mark 12:28–34).
Mass Reading on March 30, 2023
Gn 17:3-9
Covenant of Circumcision.*
3Abram fell face down and God said to him:
4For my part, here is my covenant with you: you are to become the father of a multitude of nations.c
5No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham,* for I am making you the father of a multitude of nations.d
6I will make you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings will stem from you.
7I will maintain my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting covenant, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.e
8I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now residing as aliens, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God.f
9God said to Abraham: For your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/17
What is Genesis 17 all about?
Genesis 17:15–27 describes God’s surprising revelation to the newly renamed, 99-year-old Abraham: His presumably barren, 89-year-old wife, Sarai, now to be named Sarah, would bear him a son within a year. Ishmael, now 13, would still be abundantly blessed, but this new son, Isaac, would be the one through whom God would keep His covenant promises. As soon as God left, Abraham immediately set about obeying God’s command to circumcise himself and every male in his household as a sign of the covenant with the Lord.
What does Genesis 17:5 mean?
In verse 5 of this chapter, God signaled a new stage in His relationship with Abram by changing his name to Abraham. This name is very similar to the Hebrew phrase meaning “father of a multitude,” emphasizing that Abraham will be the father of nations and that kings would come from him.
Now God tells Abraham that his wife Sarai’s name is to be changed to Sarah. Both names apparently mean princess, though in the following verse God will call her the “mother of nations.” While this seems like a slight change, it marks a significant new season in God’s work in and through Sarah as well. This change will be especially amazing to Abraham, who will laugh out loud at the suggestion of Sarah giving birth (Genesis 17:17).
Later, during a significant encounter, God would change the name of Abraham and Sarah’s grandson through Isaac. He will be renamed from Jacob to Israel (Genesis 32:28).
Saying the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always.
1-A prayer from Raphael the Archangel:
*While you are on this earth, you must praise the Lord God and give him thanks.
2-A prayer from Tobit and Tobias:
*They began to sing hymns of praise, giving thanks for all the mighty deeds God had done while his angel Raphael had been with them.
3-A simple Jesus prayer:
*Lord, Lord, Jesus Christ…Son of God…have mercy on me…Be kind to others…Work Hard…Be joyful.
4-Another prayer:
*When all that God asks of us is to be quiet and keep ourselves at peace-attentive to the secret work He is beginning in our souls-Be Empty and See That I Am God.
We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
Ps 33:20–22