Day 74: Joshua Appointed

Numbers 27:1-11 A decision was made to allow daughters to inherit their father’s land in the event that he had no son, ensuring that the property would stay within the same family or tribe. Sinful inequalities based on gender offend the equal dignity of men and women. (CCC 1938, 2402-2407)


Ch 27:12-23 Gathered to your people: God communicated to Moses that when it was time for him to die (cf. Num 20:22-29). Before his death, God allowed Moses the privilege of casting his eyes upon the Promised Land from a mountaintop. At Moses’ request, God appointed Joshua to succeed Moses as leader of Israel, and Moses handed oh his authority to Joshua through the laying on of hands. This gesture is among the liturgical signs used in the Old Testament, and it is integral to the form of the Sacrament of Holy Orders by which the sacred power of the priesthood is conferred. (CCC 1150)


Ch 28:1 Through Moses, God commanded the daily sacrifices and feasts to be observed in what was, in effect, a liturgical calendar, similar to the instructions given in Leviticus (cf. Lv 23:1-22) but in greater detail. 


Ch 28:9 Animal sacrifices and cereal offerings were commanded to be made on the Sabbath. During his earthly ministry, Christ was criticized by the Pharisees and others for violating the Sabbath rest by healing people on the Sabbath. Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath, reminded his listeners that the Sabbath rest does not prohibit service to God and acts of mercy towards others. Therefore, doing good for others is a proper way of living the Sabbath. (CCC 574-576, 582)


Deuteronomy 28:1-68 The blessings to be bestowed upon Israel for their obedience in keeping the covenant are enumerated first, followed by a much longer list of curses that served as a warning if they would be unfaithful to the covenant. The ultimate curse would be a return to Egypt, which would negate all that God had done for them in the forty years since their liberation from slavery. (CCC 64, 74, 2170)


Ch 28:10  Called by the name of the Lord: This signifies Israel’s special relationship with God, which included the Revelation of God’s name. (CCC 63)


Psalm 112 The wisdom literature of the Old Testament teaches that wisdom, peace, and happiness come through observance of moral law. This peace and joy remains for the duration of life since these sentiments are strongly inspired by the hope for a heavenly reward. At the same time, this literature often points to the apparent injustice in this world in which faithful people like Job suffer greatly and many sinners apparently prosper. Blessed is the man...in his commandments!: The opening verse of this psalm resound with the first of these expectations: the fear of the Lord is nothing more than the enduring desire to please God and never offend him. This disposition is made manifest in fidelity to moral law. This psalm connects happiness and interior serenity with a solid moral life. This fidelity to God’s Law must include love for neighbor, ESPECIALLY THE POOR. (Cf. Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, November 2, 2005)

(*The Didache Bible RSV-CE Ignatius Edition, 2006) 


(*Walking With God: A Journey Through the Bible by Tim Gray and Jeff Cavins)



Prayer by Fr. Mike: “Father in Heaven we give you praise and glory. Thank you so much for your word. We thank you so much for filling us with your light and with your truth. We thank you for the fact that you are a God of Justice. Lord God, we declare your justice to be just and we declare your goodness to be good. Not because you need us or our declaration, but because we need to continue to declare that your justice is right and just and that your goodness is truly good. Help us to choose the right, Lord God. Help us to obey your commandments. Help us to walk in your ways regardless of the consequences, regardless of immediate blessings or delayed blessings. Lord God, help us to be faithful because you are just and you are true and you are God FOREVER. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”