Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Moses said to the people: "Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the LORD, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy. If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, I tell you now that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and occupy. I call heaven and earth today to witness against you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob."
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is for those who are involved with peace talks with other nations and for world leaders, for Christ's presence will affect their lives in a profound way to work towards true peace and true justice.
Moses is very clear and direct in his message: choose the way of life or you choose to "perish." During the Penitential Rite at Mass, we declare the following:
I confess to almighty God,
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have sinned through my own fault,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done,
and in what I have failed to do;
and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin,
all the angels and saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord, our God.
What always gets me is the line, "what I have FAILED to do." Adam allowed sin to enter into the world because he was not willing to act, but rather FAILED in acting and loving. Moses does not call us to "non-action" today. Moses calls us all to act: "Choose life... by loving the Lord, Your God, heeding his voice and holding fast to him." Moses calls us to something radical and extreme; he calls us all to actively choose Our Lord's ways. Take care and God Bless.
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