Papal Retreat Focuses on Christ as New Alliance

(13 Feb 08 - RV) Even in the in the midst of tragedy God never gives up on His project of union in love and His promise of a New Alliance. This was the message at the heart of French Cardinal Albert Vanhoye’s meditations on scripture Wednesday, the fourth day of Lenten retreat here at the Vatican.

St Paul’s letter to the Hebrews was the first of two passages chosen for reflection. The letter said the Cardinal “establishes a direct link between Christ’s priesthood and the New Alliance, of which Christ is the mediator”. An alliance that announces a radical change based on four elements: “first and foremost the New Alliance is interior not exterior, secondly it is a perfect union of belonging between God and his people. Thirdly it is not a collective institution, but a personal revelation of God to each individual and fourthly, this new relationship is founded on the complete forgiveness of sins”.


The New Alliance therefore is a conversion of heart. On Mount Sinai God wrote his laws on stone tablets, external laws to be observed, but they failed to change peoples hearts. The Old Testament, noted the Cardinal, "is littered with prophetical warnings yet they were not enough to covert the people of Israel. Instead the New Alliance, announced by Jeremiah, is revealed by Christ himself during the Last Supper; it is born of the spilling of blood for the remission of sins, in the Blood of Christ". Even today, continued the Cardinal, "this wonderful promise renews us and places us in intimate relation to God through Christ".


The Cardinal also mediated on the Gospel passage of the Marriage of Cana, which he said "celebrates the establishment of this alliance. It was at Cana that the miracle of the transformation of water into wine occurs, where Christ first manifests his miraculous glory", a glory which Cardinal Vanhoye describes as the loving glory of a spouse who gifts himself generously and completely. Hear more: