Covenant for eternity

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today put in tension two important aspects of being a believer. The Book of Genesis gives us a picture of Abram, the patriarch, who has the faith that is beyond what his senses and history tell him is reality. The intimate relationship of Divine and human is at the transcendent level. The believer is graced to exist at his boundary. The advice in the Gospel of Matthew is to remember the gifts we have as humans to discern value in the elements that determine our human existence. We are warned to judge prophets and promises by the fruit they produce. Are these approaches completely independent? What is the overlap? Abram is given reassurance of the promises of God through a deep covenant relationship which is more intimate than human relationship. This relationship is the present and living fruit that supports the faith required of the believer. This intimacy will not be a characteristic fruit of the false prophets. The psalmist reminds us in praise of a Covenant in which the Divine is mindful for eternity