You Are loved

To Noah and his family the rainbow was given as a sign of God’s covenant. To us, the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus is the new and everlasting covenant through which we receive salvation.

Genesis 9:1-13
Mark 8:27-33

In today’s first reading, we cannot imagine how Noah and his family including the animals must have felt when they saw the earth as they were
emerging from the ark after the great flood. In awe, they look out on a world completely changed. All that is familiar has been washed away.

The degree of trust required from them would be awesome, for it is the only way. To trust in the Lord who had delivered them from the Deluge. Noah made sacrifice to God and God was pleased with the sacrifice and then he promised,’there shall be no more flood to destroy the earth again. ‘

God offers them a sign of the covenant, the binding commitment which he is making with them. This is totally dependable and trustworthy. The rainbow appears as a glimpse of God’s past and present deeds, and future promises. There is nothing quite as striking or stunning as a rainbow after a deluge of rain that brings life to a standstill. Even while dark clouds still threaten more rain and there is only a promise of sun, the rainbow becomes a sign that the storm is finally over and life can begin again. It is at these moments that we are reminded of how great God is and how fragile we truly are in this life.

God initiates the grace and is the One to take the first step and is the One who clearly shows us what life is all about. In today’s gospel, we see Jesus asking his disciples, ‘who do you say I am?’ They had seen Christ preach to all kinds of people, healed the sick, drive out unclean spirits, fed the hungry, opened the eyes of the blind, made the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak, and now they were to declare and acknowledge his identity. Who do you say that I am?”Peter spoke up and said ‘You are the Christ’ .

Later on,in his second letter, 2 Pt. 2:5-7 Saint Peter refers to the story of Noah and links it with the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, He stated that the water of the Flood is a type of Baptism. This means that the washing of the world in the Flood is a foreshadowing, an anticipation, and for Noah and his family a participation by faith in the later saving work of Christ. To Noah and his family the rainbow was given as a sign of God’s covenant. To us, the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus is the new and everlasting covenant through which we receive salvation. We must therefore, stand on our faith that Jesus is the Son of God no matter the evil that assails us.

Fr Joseph Osho