Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Exodus account continues with the gift of the Ten Commandments. You may notice significant explanation amid the first three Commandments followed by very little commentary about the other seven. The first three, of course, deal with our relationship with God, while the last seven pertain to human relationships. The Commandments regarding human relationships do not need the commentary because we interact with and know other people without divine intervention, whereas God is greater than human beings and therefore harder to comprehend.
Within the commentary on the first three Commandments, God describes himself to the Chosen People. He is revealing himself to them and, in doing so, building the relationship between them. They have seen him in action with the plagues, but there is more to God than displays of power. He wants to know his people, and he wants them to know him. A covenant is a relationship, and relationships involve getting to know one another.
Just so, God has made a covenant with us and has revealed himself to us more deeply than in ancient times by coming among us. By his Incarnation, Jesus renews and deepens the covenantal relationship between God and humanity. He even gave of his life for our sake. Our life of faith is rooted in God’s loving mercy toward us. Let us seek to know the Lord and to build up our relationship with him.
Reflection by Fr. Victor Schinstock, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections