God said to Abraham, "On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages."
Jesus said to the Jews: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death."
There is a great continuity in all of sacred scripture from the beginning to the end.
God seeks man, established a relationship with man, then invites them to share in that relationship simply by doing their part.
That part which falls to man always revolves around keeping and guarding something, that is remembering.
It is when we forget then things begin to sour for us and those around us.
We have to constantly foster a good memory, a memory of that which is good.
This is why Jesus tells us to "do this in memory of me" when it comes to the last supper.
It is the one good memory that purifies all memories, all actions, all decisions in life.
Part of doing our part is keeping his word. Strange to think that we struggle with keeping our own word, yet here Jesus ask us to keep his word. By keeping his word, we free ourselves from ourselves and begin to experience true strength and freedom.
It is in keeping his word, that is letting his word take root in our hearts and mind do we begin to free ourselves from the fear of death. It is his word that unlocks our fear. It is his word that brings light in our darkness.
The beauty of faith is that we do not have to keep our word for it is unreliable but we are invited to keep His word, that word that is an unbroken reality of love that is stronger than death.
This why we say at the Mass, "only say the word and I shall be healed." Our word is shaky at best but his word is guaranteed.
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