First Reading: 2 Corinthians 1:18-22
As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we preached among you, Silva'nus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No; but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why we utter the Amen through him, to the glory of God. But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 119:129-133, 135
Thy testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. The unfolding of thy words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. With open mouth I pant, because I long for thy commandments. Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is thy wont toward those who love thy name. Keep steady my steps according to thy promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. Make thy face shine upon thy servant, and teach me thy statutes.
Gospel: Matthew 5:13-16
You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
ESV
As a child, I often remember making pinky promises with my two younger siblings. They varied from anything from promising not to tell Mom I spilled blue nail polish on the coffee table (she eventually found out!) to not telling on me when I didn't finish my chores on a given day. There is something so serious, even sacred, to a little child on the nature of the "pinky promise." It means serious business and you certainly better not break it.
That's what comes to my mind today as I read the words of the First Reading. In a way, God has pinky-promised the chosen people of Israel. He promised He would redeem and save them through the coming Messiah. He promised to be faithful no matter what. God promised to be Israel's defender, protector, and that He would never abandon His children. I don't know about any pinky promises you made as a child, but God's promises blows all others out of the water.
Corinth in the ancient world was like Saint Paul's problem child. A city full of sexual immorality, corruption, and godlessness, let's just say if I were Paul I would be pulling my hair out! Paul is reminding the Christians in Corinth of God's enduring faithfulness. He says that "all the promises of God find their yes in Jesus."
Every prophecy and promise in the Old Testament finds its yes and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. And in a way, isn't this why we say Amen? Amen means "Yes! I do believe this is truth!" Yes, I do believe in God's promises of enduring faithfulness . . . I do believe He has a plan for my life . . . I do believe Jesus is the promised, foretold Messiah . . . Yes, I do believe God can do anything in my life.
I do believe God can do anything in my life.Click to tweet
Sometimes in life it is so easy to get distracted and forget about the faithful promises of our God. We all need a reminder no matter our age, vocation, or state in life. Think on your "yes" in Jesus. Where will you find it today? Where in your life do you need to say "yes" to Jesus today?
Patty Hubbard is a wife, writer, and youth minister. When not fundraising for World Youth Day, she is learning to cook more than your average Lean Cuisine. You can find out more about her here.
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