I am not completely sure, but I think that eternity is a long time.
No, I would say, a very long time.
To be sure, God speaks about a covenantal love that he has made with us, that is eternal, that he will never break.
He is faithful. He is forever. His promises he keeps, and he keeps renewing them even when we are fickle, unfaithful, deserters, lost in sin, seemingly incapable of responding to his love.
Further, he swears by himself on and himself. He is the guarantee.
+ Further still, he makes it clear in the words and actions of Jesus the Christ that he is above the law, and that any law only points to him; therefore, Jesus the Christ is able to show something deeper — covenantal — about our relationship with God, or rather God’s relationship with us.
Is fasting important? Yes. Is the sabbathimportant? Yes. Are the fasting or the sabbath God? No! No! No!
In answer to the tortuous complaints, criticisms and judgement of the Pharisees, Jesus the Christ puts it all into context again — covenantal love.
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.”
Then, in a wonderful statement, he makes it clear who is who, what is what, and why!
“That is why the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath.”
As the psalmist says: “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.”
But let the Lord make it clear: The law of the Lord is not the Lord, for the Lord is Lord over all the law.”
And again, in a covenantal way, the Lord Jesus the Christ sums it up in the most simple and direct and total way.
He says: “All of the law and the prophets can be summed up in this law: to love the lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and mind and strength, and to love thy neighbor as thyself.”
And why would not that be the highest command since, “God is love. And he who lives in love lives in God and God in him.”
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 14th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
