30 NOVEMBER (Mt 4,18-22)

With Noah the mission of salvation ended the same day that the flood was over and God made the covenant not to destroy the earth anymore with the new humanity.

God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals that were with you and came out of the ark. I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another flood to devastate the earth.” God added: “This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will recall the covenant I have made between me and you and all living beings, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all mortal beings. As the bow appears in the clouds, I will see it and recall the everlasting covenant that I have established between God and all living beings – all mortal creatures that are on earth.”(Gen 9,8-16).

The mission of salvation becomes universal and lasting up to the end of time with Abraham. God’s plan is brought forward by birth, and by descent according to the flesh. With this path we come up to Christ Jesus. The prophets are exceptions. These have no dynasty. The are chosen directly by God.

Some time after these events, this word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?” Abram continued, “See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir.” He took him outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the Lord, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.(Gen 15,1-6).

A little news is introduced with Moses. The salvation of the people is entrusted to the priestly succession. Even his mission has a successor: Joshua.

Valiant leader was Joshua, son of Nun, assistant to Moses in the prophetic office, Formed to be, as his name implies, the great savior of God’s chosen ones, To punish the enemy and to win the inheritance for Israel. What glory was his when he raised his arm, to brandish his javelin against the city! And who could withstand him when he fought the battles of the Lord? Did he not by his power stop the sun, so that one day became two? He called upon the Most High God when his enemies beset him on all sides, And God Most High gave answer to him in hailstones of tremendous power, Which he rained down upon the hostile army till on the slope he destroyed the foe; That all the doomed nations might know that the Lord was watching over his people’s battles. And because he was a devoted follower of God and in Moses’ lifetime showed himself loyal, He and Caleb, son of Jephunneh, when they opposed the rebel assembly, Averted God’s anger from the people and suppressed the wicked complaint – Because of this, they were the only two spared from the six hundred thousand infantry, To lead the people into their inheritance, the land flowing with milk and honey. And the strength he gave to Caleb remained with him even in his old age Till he won his way onto the summits of the land; his family too received an inheritance, That all the people of Jacob might know how good it is to be a devoted follower of the Lord. (Sir 46,1-10).

With Christ there is no succession, there are no dynasties, there is an association, participation, but always through a direct call. So it must it be until the end of time. Christ is immortal and has no successors.

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints associate us to the mystery of Jesus.