Today’s Catholic Reflection
In Genesis, God makes a covenant with Abram, changing his name to Abraham. He promises that Abraham will be the father of many nations and that he will be very fruitful. Kings will come from him, and this covenant will last forever. It extends to his descendants, who will inherit the land of Canaan. God instructs Abraham and his descendants to uphold this covenant through all generations.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells the Jews that those who keep his word will never see death. They challenge him, questioning his authority and comparing him to Abraham and the prophets who have died. Jesus affirms his special relationship with God, saying he knew Abraham and declaring, "before Abraham came to be, I AM." This statement angers the Jews, and they try to stone him, but Jesus manages to escape.