The LORD then said to him,
"This is the land
which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
that I would give to their descendants.
I have let you feast your eyes upon it, but you shall not cross over."
So there, in the land of Moab, Moses, the servant of the LORD,
died as the LORD had said;
Faithful descendants of Abraham remember the past. They do not forget the sacrifices of their ancestors, the inspiration of the saints, and the audacity of the martyrs. They hope their own lives are worthy of their ancestors.
And they remember the future. If no one can see or predict the future very well, they nonetheless anticipate a future when God's word to Abraham, Moses, the prophets, and Jesus must be fulfilled.
Today's first reading recounts the end of Moses' life, as the Lord showed him the Promised Land. He saw it from the mountaintop, and the sight surely gave him great satisfaction. Martin Luther King, in his most famous speech, alluded to this passage when he described his own confident hope for the future: "I have been to the mountain..." Aware of constant threats to his life, he did not expect to live much longer. But he knew the Lord is faithful, and his promises must be fulfilled.
Human thoughts, words, and deeds have consequences which flow outward like ripples in a pond far beyond our limited horizons. The foolish ignore this; they hope that much of what they say and do will never matter to them or anyone else. "It's okay!" they say. Or, "Forget about it." And, more urgently, "It never happened." In their more arrogant moments they might attempt to alter the past; and. like Chico Marx, persuade others to believe what they say rather than what they saw with their own eyes.
The faithful pray that their words and deeds might be faithful to their ancestors and to their descendants; and that their lives might be as inspiring as those of their ancestors. We pray that our lives fit like tessera in the mosaic of God's kingdom, forming a magnificent image in which everyone has a part.
What God does with our lives we leave to God's wisdom. He knows how it all fits together, and we are confident he finds the worth and beauty of everything.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.