Sunday
Romans 8:18  Brethren I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body: in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Saint Focus: on Wednesday we celebrate Boris and Glebe of Russia, two of the first saints called ‘passion bearers’. They merit this title because they allowed their pagan brother to kill them without resistance in order to avoid bloodshed and the death of others. Each day we experience many mini-trials in our lives. The saints’ example is a light for us to follow when these difficulties come our way.

Prayer:  O my God I firmly believe that Thou art one God in three Divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; I believe that Thy Divine Son became man, and died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the Holy Catholic Church teaches, because Thou hast revealed them, who canst neither deceive nor be deceived. (Act of Faith)

Monday

*This week the Practical Commentary  (this is actually a Catholic commentary but is not in opposition to Orthodox teaching and interpretation and is very useful)

[Numb. 22–24]

AS the Israelites were nearing the Promised Land, they came to the confines of Moab. Balak, the king of that country, being in very great fear, sent the elders and the nobles of his kingdom with rich presents to Balaam, that he might come and curse his enemies. This Balaam believed in the true God; but, at the same time, he practised soothsaying and divination.

When the messengers had arrived with their presents, Balaam said: “Tarry here this night, and I will answer whatsoever the Lord shall say to me.” And God told him: “Thou shalt not go, neither shalt thou curse the people.” So the princes returned to the king. But Balak sent a greater number of nobles and richer presents than the first time. Balaam told the messengers again to stay for one night. In that night God came to Balaam and said: “Arise and go; yet so, that thou do what I shall command thee.”

Then Balaam arose and went to the land of Moab. The king took him to three different mountains, whence he could behold the Israelites in the valley, and ordered him to curse them. But Balaam, being each time prevented by God from cursing, blessed them, saying: “How beautiful are thy tabernacles, O Jacob, and thy tents, o Israel! He that blesseth thee shall also himself be blessed, and he that curseth thee shall be reckoned accursed.”

Then Balak grew angry, and exclaimed: “I had intended to honour thee, but the Lord hath deprived thee of the honour; for I called thee to curse my enemies, and thou, on the contrary, hast blessed them three times.” So he ordered him to return to his country. Thereupon the eyes of Balaam were opened and he saw a vision, and his lips were opened, and he prophesied: “I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not near. A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel, and shall strike the chiefs of Moab and shall smite the children of Seth.” And having prophesied also of the fate of the nations he returned to his country.

Commentary: Balaam’s home was in the east, that is, east of the Promised Land. There, the prophecy of Balaam was well known, and during the hundreds of years which elapsed before our Lord’s Incarnation, the tradition of this prophecy was preserved, and there existed a living expectation of the rising of a wonderful star, and at the same time of a sceptre, i. e. a king who should spring up out of Israel. Therefore, the three kings from the east, as soon as they had seen the wonderful star, went straight to Judea, to look for Him, the new-born king, whose birth was heralded by the star.

Prayer:  Having risen from sleep I hasten to Thee, O Lord, Lover of men, and by Thy loving-kindness I strive to do Thy work, and I pray to Thee:  help me at all times, in everything, and deliver me from every evil thing of the world and every attack of the devil, and lead me into Thine eternal Kingdom. For Thou art my Creator, the Giver and Provider of everything good, and all my hope is in Thee, and to Thee I send up glory, now and ever, and to the ages of ages.  Amen.
*Prayer for the next day’s morning

Tuesday

[Deut. 1–34. Numb. 27]

THE hour had come at last when Moses was to be taken away from his people. Before he died, God commanded him to lay his hands upon Josue, in the presence of all the people, so that they might obey him as their ruler. For God had said to Moses: “Thou shalt not pass over this Jordan; but Josue shall bring the people into the land which I swore I would give to their fathers.”

Then Moses made his farewell discourse to the people in the most touching manner: “Hear, O ye heavens, the things I speak; let the earth give ear to the words of my mouth. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength. Let none be found among you that consult soothsayers, or observe dreams and omens. These things the Gentiles do; but thou art otherwise instructed. The Lord thy God will raise up to thee a prophet of thy nation, and of thy brethren, like unto me. Him thou shalt hear.”

He reminded them of all the wonders which God had wrought in their behalf. He promised them that, if they were faithful in observing the commandments of God, they should be blessed in their houses, blessed in their fields, blessed in the fruits of the land, blessed in their cattle, blessed when they came in and when they went out. Then he warned them that, if they did not hear the voice of the Lord and keep His commandments, curses should come upon them and all they possessed.

Then, having at the order of God composed a great hymn [canticle of Moses] for the people, he blessed the people, and went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo (Fig. 36). From that place the Lord showed him, from afar off, the Land of Chanaan, which He had promised to his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Prayer:  Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears! Turn, then, O most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
*Salve Regina

Wednesday

In Moses’ parting discourse (yesterday reading)  he exhorted the Israelites as follows:

1. They were never to forget the Covenant, sealed with God, but were always to keep it faithfully. His exhortation applies to us also, who ought never to prove unfaithful to our baptismal vows.

2. They were to worship God only, and love Him with their whole hearts. Our Lord tells us that this commandment is the first and greatest commandment, for it contains all the others.

3. They were to bring up their children in the fear and love of God, and relate to them all God’s wonderful works and the benefits which He had showered on them, so that they might be moved to be grateful and to love Him. It is a sacred duty of parents to bring up their children in the fear of God; for He has done far more for us Christians than He ever did for the Israelites.

4. If the Israelites kept the Commandments, God promised them rich earthly blessings; for, as the people were sensual and earthly, sensible and earthly rewards were held out to them. It is true in all times that only he who fears God can have any true happiness on earth, and for this reason St. Paul says: “Glory and honour and peace to every one that worketh good” (Rom. 2:10); but all the same we Christians ought not to serve God for earthly rewards, but for those which are imperishable and eternal. We ought to love God for His own sake (independently of all rewards and punishments), because He is infinitely worthy of love. The law of the New Testament is more perfect than the law of the Old Testament. Moses pointed to the New Covenant, for, in his parting discourse, he gave utterance to

5. the seventh promise of the Messias. He foretold to his people that one day another prophet should rise in their midst, who also would institute a Covenant: “The Lord will raise up to thee a prophet of thy nation, and of thy brethren, like unto me. Him thou shalt hear.” Who is this prophet? Jesus Christ, who was a Prophet like to Moses; for, firstly, He instituted the New Covenant as Moses had instituted the Old; and secondly, He foretold the future as Moses did, proclaiming the divine law.

Prayer:  Queen of Heaven rejoice, alleluia: For He whom you merited to bear, alleluia, Has risen as He said, alleluia. Pray for us to God, alleluia. Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. Because the Lord is truly risen, alleluia.
Let us pray : O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world: grant we beg Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
*Regina Coeli

Thursday

[Jos. 1–24]

AFTER the death of Moses, the Lord spoke to Josue: “My servant Moses is dead; arise and pass over this Jordan, thou and the people with thee. I will deliver to thee every place which the sole of your foot shall tread upon. No man shall be able to resist thee all the days of thy life.” Encouraged by these promises the people advanced towards the Jordan. When they reached its banks, Josue ordered the priests to take the Ark of the Lord, and go before the people. As soon as the priests, carrying the Ark, stepped into the Jordan, and their feet touched the water at the bank, the waves that came from above stood heaped together, and swelling up like a mountain, were seen afar off; but the floods, which were beneath, ran down into the sea, until they wholly failed. Then all the people passed over through the channel that was dried up. They pitched their tents before Jericho. On the following day they celebrated the Pasch, and having eaten of the fruits of the earth, the manna ceased to fall.

Jericho (Fig. 37) was a strongly fortified city, capable of offering a long resistance. The children of Israel wished to take it, but they lost courage when they saw the height and strength of the ramparts. But the Lord, seeing their want of confidence, ordered Josue to bring together all the fighting men of Israel, and to march in deep silence around the city once a day for six days, and on the seventh day go around the city seven times; and at the last time, all the people, on hearing the priests that were before the Ark sound the trumpets, were to shout together with a great shout. So it was done. When the seventh day came, they marched silently six times around the city; but at the seventh turn, when the priests sounded the trumpets, all the people shouted, and instantly the walls fell down. Every man went up by the place that was against him; and they took the city.

After many hard-fought battles, Josue at length made himself master of all the land of Chanaan. During this period he several times experienced the especial assistance of God. On one occasion he waged war against the five kings of the Amorrhites. The Israelites conquered and pursued their enemies. But night coming on would soon have put an end to the victory. Then Josue spoke to the Lord, in the sight of all the people: “Move not, O sun, toward Gabaon; nor thou, O moon, toward the valley of Ajalon.” So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven. There was not, before nor after, so long a day.

Chanaan was divided among the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribe of Levi alone received no portion, as they lived on the tithes and sacrifices; but they received forty-eight cities in different parts of the country. The descendants of the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasses, received each a portion of the land. Thus the country was divided among the twelve tribes: Reuben, Simeon, Juda, Zabulon, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Aser, Nephtali, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasses. Thus were the promises fulfilled which God had made to the patriarchs. When Josue was old, he assembled the people and admonished them to observe the law, and to avoid intercourse and marriage with the heathen. Josue died at the age of one hundred and ten years.

Prayer:  The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.   And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.
Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord.  Be it done unto me according to thy word.  (Repeat HM)

Friday

Commentary on the Entrance into the Promised Land…

By God’s will the running waters of the Jordan rose up like rocks; at His bidding the strong walls of Jericho fell down; and by His command the light of day was prolonged. Nothing can resist God’s omnipotence, nothing can hinder the workings of divine Providence.

The promise which God had made to Abraham six hundred and fifty years before was now fulfilled, and by His wonderful guidance, Abraham’s descendants were now given possession of the Promised Land. God also fulfils what He threatens. Not one of those men who departed from Egypt, except Josue and Caleb, entered the Promised Land. They all died in the desert, as God said they should die. God has promised us everlasting happiness if we keep our baptismal vows, that is, if we stand fast in faith, keep the commandments, and use the means of grace given to us: if we neglect to do this, we shall not go to heaven, but to hell.

During the journey of the Israelites to the Promised Land God worked great miracles for His people. Now that it was a case of completing the great work, and putting His people in possession of the Promised Land, He worked still greater miracles. By doing this the Lord wished to confirm His people’s faith in His omnipotence, and their confidence in His loving care. He wished them also to learn that they could do nothing by their own strength and numbers, and that it was only by His help they could attain to the Promised Land, and that they therefore owed Him an everlasting debt of gratitude. Neither can we reach the promised land of heaven by our own strength, but only by the help of God’s grace.

The folly of idolatry was proved to the Chanaanites by the miracle which made the sun to shine on the earth for a longer time than was its wont, and this for the purpose of bringing defeat upon them. The Chanaanites worshipped the sun and moon as gods, and the fact that these heavenly bodies obeyed the command of Josue, the servant of God, ought to have proved to them that the God of Israel was infinitely more powerful than their self-made deities which, far from being able to help them, were compelled to help their enemies.

Full of faith, Josue prayed, and at his prayer the day was prolonged.   “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down” (Hebr. 11:30). The Israelites knew very well that their marching round the town, the blowing of the trumpets and the shouting of the multitude could not, of themselves, overthrow the walls; but full of faithful confidence in God, they did exactly everything that He commanded, and through their faithful obedience God worked the miracle.

Josue, the ninth type of Jesus Christ. He was this, inasmuch as he led the Israelites into the Land of Promise, and triumphantly conquered it. Jesus Christ, by His Death and Resurrection, has overcome sin, Satan and death, and has opened to us the kingdom of heaven. He leads us there by His doctrine, His example and His grace, and especially by holy Baptism.

The Promised Land was a figure of heaven. As the Israelites did not obtain possession of Chanaan till they had toiled, fought, and suffered much, so Christians cannot enter heaven, the true land of promise, unless they contend bravely against the enemies of their salvation.

Prayer:  And the Word became Flesh.  And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death.

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the Incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an Angel, may by His Passion and Cross, be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord.

Saturday

[Judg. 6–8; 13–16]

SO long as that generation of the Israelites lived who had eaten of the manna in the desert, and who had seen the wonders of the Lord wrought for them, both in the wilderness and in the taking of Chanaan, they did not depart from the way of the Lord; but their children, having intermarried with the pagan nations around them, contrary to the express command of God, began to adore the idols which their wives worshipped. Then the Lord delivered them into the hands of their enemies.

They afterwards repented and turned again to the Lord their God. In this manner, falling into idolatry and returning again to the worship of the true God, they went on for several generations. Whenever they humbled themselves before God, and showed signs of true repentance, the Lord hastened to their relief. From time to time He raised up among them brave and pious men, who smote the enemy with a strong hand. These men were called Judges. Amongst them were Barac, Jephte, Samson—who was famous for his great strength—and the pious Samuel.

Prayer:  May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.