The free gift of faith in the Lord our God has been given to everyone and again here I declare that Jesus is truly for everyone! And as in all things there is a beginning, so while the revelation of this truth was first made known to our Jewish brethren; God our Father’s promise of salvation through His Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is for all who comes to believe in Him! God has no favourites. (Rm 2:11)
The Lord indeed remembers His covenant for ever. For His blood of the covenant, was poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. “God has revealed himself fully by sending his own Son, in whom he has established his covenant forever. The Son is his Father’s definitive Word; so there will be no further Revelation after him” (CCC para 73).
Are we Children of God our faithful Father then reflecting His faithfulness in all that we say and do? Are we ourselves faithful to Him whom so loved us that He gave us His only begotten Son to die for sins so that we shall not perish but have hope of eternal life with Him through the light of His Son’s resurrection?
Let us declare this day that if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Amen (RM 14:8)
First reading
Romans 4:13,16-18 ·
Abraham hoped and believed and became the father of many nations
The promise of inheriting the world was not made to Abraham and his descendants on account of any law but on account of the righteousness which consists in faith. That is why what fulfils the promise depends on faith, so that it may be a free gift and be available to all of Abraham’s descendants, not only those who belong to the Law but also those who belong to the faith of Abraham who is the father of all of us. As scripture says: I have made you the ancestor of many nations – Abraham is our father in the eyes of God, in whom he put his faith, and who brings the dead to life and calls into being what does not exist.
Though it seemed Abraham’s hope could not be fulfilled, he hoped and he believed, and through doing so he did become the father of many nations exactly as he had been promised: Your descendants will be as many as the stars.
Gospel
Luke 12:8-12
If you declare yourselves for me, I will declare myself for you
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of men, the Son of Man will declare himself for him in the presence of the angels. But the man who disowns me in the presence of men will be disowned in the presence of God’s angels.
‘Everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
‘When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say.’
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