Sunday
Exodus 14:39Then Moses told these words to all the children of Israel, and the people mourned exceedingly. 40But they rose early in the morning and went up to the top of the mountain, saying, “Here we are, and we will go up to the place the Lord spoke about, for we sinned.” 41So Moses said, “Now why do you transgress the word of the Lord? For this will not be easy for you. 42Do not go up, for the Lord is not with you, and you shall fall before the face of your enemies. 43For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned away from and disobeyed the Lord, the Lord will not be among you.” 44But they rebelled and went up to the mountaintop; nevertheless, neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses moved from the camp. 45Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who dwelt in that mountain came down and attacked them, and turned them back and cut them down as far as Hormah. Then they returned to the camp.

Application:  Israel doubted God’s ability to help them conquer the promised land so  God told Moses that they would die before their children entered it.  They then decided to take matters into their own hands and invaded without God’s help and failed.  The lesson is that when we know clearly what God’s Will is in a situation we are foolish to go against it and are doomed to fail.

Prayer:  We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
*Sub Tuum Praesidium

 

Monday
Number 20:7The Lord then spoke to Moses, saying, 8“Take the rod; and you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before them, and it will give its waters; thus you shall bring them water out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” 9So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as the Lord ordered him. 10Then Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear me, you disobedient ones. Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11Moses then lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their cattle drank. 12But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to sanctify Me before the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land I am giving them.” 13This was the Water of Contention, because the children of Israel scoffed before the Lord, and He was sanctified among them.

Application:  it may seem a slight thing that Moses struck the rock instead of spoke to it but it cost him entry into the promised land.  No other since Adam has enjoyed such an intimate relation with God.  To whom much is given much will be required just as it is with Christians who know Christ and His Church verses those who are completely ignorant of it.

Prayer:  O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Tuesday
Number 21:4Then they departed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea; and they went around the land of Edom, and the people became discouraged on the way. 5So the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to kill us in the desert? For there is no bread nor water, and our soul is weary of this worthless bread.” 6So the Lord sent venomous serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the children of Israel died. 7Then the people came to Moses, and were saying, “We sinned, for we spoke against the Lord and against you; therefore, pray to the Lord, and let Him take away the serpent from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a serpent for yourself and put it on a signal pole; and it shall be, if a serpent should bite someone, when the one bitten looks at it, he shall live.” 9So Moses made a copper serpent and put it on a signal pole; and it happened, when a serpent bit anyone, and he looked at the copper serpent, he lived.

Application:  this is an Old Testament example of who God uses created things to transfer His grace to believers.  In modern times blessed icons, crosses Holy Water are examples of things blessed by the Church that convey His grace to those who love and honor Him.

Prayer:  Holy angel of the Lord by guardian, pray to God for me.

Wednesday
Numbers 22: …the donkey saw the Angel of God standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey with his staff to turn her back onto the road. 24Then the Angel of God stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. 25Now when the donkey saw the Angel of God, she pushed herself against the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot; so he struck her again. 26Then the Angel of God went and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. 27So when the donkey saw the Angel of God, she lay down under Balaam; and Balaam became angry, and struck the donkey with his staff. 28Then God opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you struck me this third time?” 29Balaam then said to the donkey, “Because you abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!” 30So the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you rode from your youth to this very day? Did I ever show such utter disregard for you?” He replied, “No.” 31Then God opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed and worshiped.

Application:  this is a somewhat humorous   example  (for everyone but the donkey) of how anger blinds us to just about everything.  Rather than being shocked or astonished that a donkey spoke Balaam just justified his actions by answering it back.

Prayer:  Our Father, Who art in  Heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Thursday
Deuteronomy 4:5“Surely I taught you ordinances and judgments, as the Lord commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land you go to inherit. 6Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the Gentiles, who will hear all these ordinances and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? 8“Also, what great nation is there that has such ordinances and righteous judgments as are in all this law I set before you today? 9Only take heed to yourself and diligently guard your soul, lest you forget all the things your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; and you shall teach them to your sons and the sons of your sons, 10especially concerning the day you stood before the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of assembly, when the Lord said to me, ‘Gather the people to Me and let them hear My words, so they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and may teach their sons.’

Application:  most can remember times or occasions where God seemed very close, very ‘real’.  An aged Napoleon when asked what was the happiest day of his life cited his First Communion as a young man.  Doubtless, though, he didn’t think of it during his years of conquest and power.  He forgot.  Protestants have services called ‘revivals’ showing that they know their faith ‘dies’ and has to be brought back to life.  So it is with us…we have to make ourselves remember the times God was close and helped us to restore and strengthen out current spiritual life.

Prayer:  O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy name’s sake.

Friday
Deuteronomy 6:10“So it shall be, when the Lord your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities you did not build, 11and houses full of all good things you did not fill, and hewn-out wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—and when you have eaten and are full— 12then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brings you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 13You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and you shall cling to Him and take oaths in His name. 14You shall not go after different gods, the gods of the nations around you, 15because the Lord your God is a jealous God among you, lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth. 16“You shall not tempt the Lord your God, as you tempted Him in the Temptation. 17You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, His testimonies, and the ordinances He commanded you.

Application:  Christ’s command echoes this when He said that the path to salvation is narrow and to not turn to the right or left away from right belief.

Prayer:  Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3X)

Saturday
Deuteronomy 30:15“See, I set before you today life and death, good and evil. 16If you hear the commandments of the Lord your God I command you today, to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His ordinances and judgments, then you shall live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you go to inherit. 17But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but go astray and worship different gods and serve them, 18I announce to you today, you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land the Lord your God is giving you, into which you are crossing over the Jordan to inherit. 19I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you: I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live 20and love the Lord your God, obey His voice, and cling to Him. For this is your life and the length of your days, that you may dwell

Application:  the Israelites were warned again and again about false idol worship but again and again they fell into this sin.  We often think we never commit this sin since idol worship seems odd or weird to modern man.  But an idol is something someone ‘puts  faith in’ for his or her welfare.  When we look to government, friends, society or any other thing in our lives (or even ourselves) to solve our problems and help or guide us we have turned from God as surely as the Israelites did in the past.   We like to forget that without God ‘we can do nothing’ (successfully).

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.