Next in Line

~~~ Memorial of Saint Claire, Virgin ~~~

~~~ Deuternomy 31:1-8 ~~~ (Psalm) 

~~~Deuternomy 32:3-4AB, 7, 8, 9 AND 12 ~~~

~~~ MT 18:1-5, 10, 12-14 ~~~

Then Moses summoned Joshua and in the presence of all Israel

said to him, “Be brave and steadfast,

for you must bring this people into the land...

Nearing his final days, Moses passes on 

the legacy of leading the chosen people.

Joshua is called by Moses,

commissioned to take the lead position.

Joshua represents the younger generation.

It is time for them to take over.

Joshua is told to be brave and steadfast.

He is told to remember that God has 

and will continue to protect the people.

Sitting around the dinner table we often share stories of past times.

The parents retelling stories of the birth of the child...

the grandfather sharing his stories of first love..

battles fought...lives lost for love of country.

The stories we pass on from one generation to the next

 bring families closer together.

These stories affirm how God has cared for the family.

Joshua has seen how God has been with Moses

 all the years of his life.

He knows the story of the baby floating in the basket.

He knows the story of Moses being saved by the Pharaoh's daughter.

Now it is his place to follow the path given to Moses by God.

Whoever becomes humble like this child

is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.

Joshua must become humble, like a child,

so that he can lead the people.

Joshua is not called to lead the people on a new journey.

Joshua is called because he represents the younger generation.

Joshua was too learn from Moses.

Joshua was to be humble, accepting his call to listen to the Lord.

Today we are given a similar invitation...

to follow the Lord like a child

with humility and love.

Saint Claire gives a beautiful example today.

She left her wealthy life of luxury

to follow the call of God.

She founded the religious order of the "Poor Ladies".

The order takes the vow of poverty and lives a life committed to prayer.

Saint Claire, pray for us.

We are Blessed to be more like little children...

for they shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

~~~Peace~~~

Obedience of a Child

~~~ Ezekiel 2: 8-3: 4 ~~~ Psalm 119 ~~~ Mathew 18: 1-5, 10, 12-14 ~~~

You are what you eat,

literally and figuratively.

The Lord God placed before the prophet a special meal.

Initially Ezekiel is scolded as you would speak to a disobedient child.

"...obey me when I speak to you..

 be not rebellious...

but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you."

God is speaking with authority over Ezekiel as a parent to child.

Stern but loving....I saw a hand stretched out to me..

An obedient child does what he/she is told and does not ask questions.

Ezekiel was obedient to God.

So when God said,

"Son of man, eat what is before you; eat this scroll,

then go, speak to the house of Israel."

Ezekiel did as he was told and was pleasantly surprised by what he tasted.

The scroll covered in the words of the Lord was as sweet as honey.

Ezekiel opened his mouth and God fed him on the scroll.

God was satisfying the hunger of the prophet in a way he would not

have conjured up on his own.

I am not sure if the words of God are always as sweet as honey.

They sometimes taste bitter and more like sour lemons.

"Lamentation and wailing and woe!"

I have wished that I could consume the words of the Bible.

 So that they would be such a part of my being that I was one with them.

For all that you eat becomes part of every living cell in your body.

If the words of scripture could be part of every cell in my body

just maybe I would be a better person.

My lips would only speak the words from the Lord himself.

These words of the Lord would be the only joy of my heart.

The disciples ask Jesus,

"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?"

He certainly must have surprised them with his answer

to become like children...humble...

The nature of the question tells us they were ready to compare themselves

to those who may have not been following Jesus at that particular time.

Becoming like a child is one thing, but he added the whole humility bit.

Becoming humble takes eating the scroll and allowing it to become

part of the fiber of your being.

In some way or another we all fall into the trap of thinking we are better

than so and so because we_______.

You can fill in the blank with any number of things.

Lord, help me to consume your words, accepting them in humility,

without trying to compare or control.

I freely take the scroll containing your holy words.

I promise childlike obedience to your words.