Wednesday of the Third Week

Reflection

After forty years in the desert, the Israelites stand poised to enter Canaan, the land God has promised them, to begin their life as a people there.  God has given them, through Moses, just statutes and decrees to guide them.  Why has God done this?  Because God cares about them; God is caring for them.  God loves these people and wants them to succeed in the Promised Land.  Moses tells the Israelites that God is close to them; so close, in fact, they need only speak in prayer and God is right there with them: “For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him?”  (Deuteronomy 4: 7) 

Just as the Israelites longed to be in the Promised Land, we Christians long to live with God forever in the kingdom of heaven.  In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us the Beatitudes, and He says we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  But Jesus reminds us that God’s law has a purpose: to guide us to our goal of eternal life with God.  Why does Jesus do this?  Because Jesus cares about us and he is caring for us.  He loves us and wants us to bring us close to Himself.  As we hear in the Alleluia verse, “Your words, Lord, are spirit and life; You have the words of everlasting life.”

Prayer

Lord Jesus, help me to open my heart, my soul, and my mind to Your words of everlasting life.  Draw me close.  Lead me and guide me to life with You forever.  Amen.

Brother Frank Hagerty, S.S.E., ‘73

Scripture

First Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9

Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20
Gospel: Matthew 5:17-19

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website