Faith and Trust Old and New

The famous phrase “faith of our fathers” is a seed for contemplation which can be applied to the texts from the Roman CatholicLectionary today. The passage from the Book of Exodus relates the detail with which Moses constructs the tent of meeting according to the instructions from God. This attention to the detail follows the scenario where the delivery of the Ten Commandments was interrupted by a severe lapse in the trust of the Israelites in God to continue to lead them. Exodus describes the manner of the Presence with them during their journey to the Promised Land. Friar Jude Winkler notes the placement of the “mercy seat” atop the Ark of the Covenant which will be a significant place of contact for the people with God as they are trained through their journey to trust God. The Gospel of Matthew presents two parables with paradox and a future eschatology. Friar Jude notes that the Kingdom of God in the future end of the world will involve a separation of the good from the evil. The Gospel of Matthew leads to the separation of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31 – 46) at the time when Jesus returns to His Kingdom on earth. Commentators note that the qualities which separated the sheep from the goats may surprise us. The paradox to ponder and to attempt to trust in God to live is ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’ The old and the tradition of our relationship over the centuries with God is to be integrated with our need to change, journey and trust so that we develop the vitality to act and be the sheep who hear “Come, you that are blessed by my Father”.