Message from Fr. James - April 12, 2026

God’s covenant of salvation with Eve

Dear St. Martin’s Parishioners,

God saves us through covenants. A covenant is a relationship. It is a relationship of reciprocal belonging. It is a relationship of mutual love and sacrifice. Covenants have conditions in order to maintain the unity of the relationship. Covenants have consequences if the relationship is betrayed. God used covenants to save us throughout history because covenants are such powerful relationships.

Fr. Dave announced that our Giving Tuesday 2025 project would create an art gallery of God’s covenants. From Sacred Scripture, we chose to paint eight covenants between God and us. The history of our salvation is made in God’s covenants with Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, the tribes of Israel, King David, and, finally, the new and eternal covenant with Jesus Christ. Each of these covenants promised a relationship between God and human kind. Each one expresses God’s love for you. Each covenant saves you from death and sin. The painting of the second covenant, with Eve, is now hanging in the parish hall below the church.

“The Lord God said to the serpent, ‘I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel’” (Genesis 3:15). God saves. Even after Eve sinned with Adam, God came to Eve’s side. God is against sin and Satan. In this covenant, God gives us the pledge of salvation. God is on your side, and in this covenant promises to fight your battles. How does it feel to have God on your side?

This is represented in the ray of light. The ray of light cuts through the serpent. Satan is the father of lies. He uses confusion and tricks. This is represented by the dazzling design of the snake. Temptation does not look ugly; it looks interesting, but it will wrap around you like a snake. The truth will set you free. God’s light cuts through the snake and blesses Eve. God made a covenant with Eve even though she and Adam were sinners. God came to her side. God’s presence by your side, even when you are a sinner, is the Holy Spirit, “the Paraclete”. God comes to your side to save you. The name “Jesus” means “God saves”. God’s covenant of salvation with Eve is the Bible’s first prophecy of Jesus, who is the offspring of Eve and will strike the head of the serpent. So in just one verse, in the very beginning of the Bible, the Holy Trinity is already revealed, and salvation is already promised. God is so good, and so much more powerful than the devil, that he will reveal his amazing salvation even through imperfect humans like Adam, Eve, and you.

In Christ,

Fr. James