Daily Retreat 06/13/07
2007 Jun 13 Wed:Anthony of Padua, p, r, dr M
2 Cor 3:4-11/Ps 98(99):5. 6. 7. 8. 9/Mt 5:17-19
From today's readings: "For if what was going to fade was glorious, how much more will what endures be glorious.... Holy is the Lord our God.... But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven...."
The Old and New Testaments
While we Christians naturally focus more on the New Testament, it is a heresy (known as "Marcionism") to reject the Old Testament as the incompatible antithesis of the New Testament. The two parts of the Bible are complementary, in fact - as Jesus Himself explained, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come, not to abolish, but to fulfill!"
St. Paul, too, contrasts the glory of the Old and the New Covenants. Recalling the moment when Moses presented the two stone tablets of the law and his face was radiant with glory (cf. Exodus 34:29), Paul nonetheless insists that the excellence of the New Covenant far outshines even the formidable resplendence of the Old Covenant!
Having studied the ancient Scriptures all his life, Paul could plainly see that Christ was indeed the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Unlike Paul, though, too many modern Christians are almost totally ignorant of the Old Testament, so they impoverish their understanding and appreciation of Jesus as the fulfillment of God's promises.
So, clearly, we Christians need to read, and study, and meditate on the Old Testament, as well as the New. In fact, because the Old Testament is longer, more varied, and less familiar in general, we need to commit ourselves to the necessary extra effort in order to appropriately salute the old glory and insure we never passover the Old Testament.
2 Cor 3:4-11/Ps 98(99):5. 6. 7. 8. 9/Mt 5:17-19
From today's readings: "For if what was going to fade was glorious, how much more will what endures be glorious.... Holy is the Lord our God.... But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven...."
The Old and New Testaments
While we Christians naturally focus more on the New Testament, it is a heresy (known as "Marcionism") to reject the Old Testament as the incompatible antithesis of the New Testament. The two parts of the Bible are complementary, in fact - as Jesus Himself explained, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come, not to abolish, but to fulfill!"
St. Paul, too, contrasts the glory of the Old and the New Covenants. Recalling the moment when Moses presented the two stone tablets of the law and his face was radiant with glory (cf. Exodus 34:29), Paul nonetheless insists that the excellence of the New Covenant far outshines even the formidable resplendence of the Old Covenant!
Having studied the ancient Scriptures all his life, Paul could plainly see that Christ was indeed the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Unlike Paul, though, too many modern Christians are almost totally ignorant of the Old Testament, so they impoverish their understanding and appreciation of Jesus as the fulfillment of God's promises.
So, clearly, we Christians need to read, and study, and meditate on the Old Testament, as well as the New. In fact, because the Old Testament is longer, more varied, and less familiar in general, we need to commit ourselves to the necessary extra effort in order to appropriately salute the old glory and insure we never passover the Old Testament.
posted by FrPitstick | 6/12/2007
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