In today’s first reading, we are reminded that we must, for all time, bring forth the holiness and righteousness of the Lord, our God, in all that we say, in all that we do. While Moses was not allowed to enter into the Promised Land, God, our Heavenly Father, still showed him from the highest point all that He had promised for all His flock who would enter into the Promised Land. Very much like when Jesus was brought up to the pinnacle and shown all that He might possess if He had given in to the temptation of the devil. But our Lord Jesus remain steadfast in the Holiness and righteousness of God our Heavenly Father.
It is a reminder that we must likewise remain steadfast and faithful to love our God, His word, and His will for us. We do not have to be troubled that Moses was simply laid to rest in a place that fell short of the Promised Land, because we know that Moses appears in the Lord’s glory at the Transfiguration. And that he, therefore, was taken to the true, for all time, Promised Land.
Now, being children of God, our Heavenly Father, we are called to love, to be patient and to be merciful. Therefore, it’s not right for us to simply ostracize someone who has done wrong to us. We must make valiant attempts to reconcile with the errant brother or sister, to show them the error of their ways if necessary, and enlist the help of the community to reason with them. Then truly, we will follow after the heart of Christ, who is loving, patient, and merciful. Amen.
Saints Pontian, Pope, and Hippolytus, Pray for us…
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First reading
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
Moses dies and is buried
Leaving the plains of Moab, Moses went up Mount Nebo, the peak of Pisgah opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land; Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the stretch of the Valley of Jericho, city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, ‘This is the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying: I will give it to your descendants. I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not cross into it.’ There in the land of Moab, Moses the servant of the Lord died as the Lord decreed; he buried him in the valley, in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but to this day no one has ever found his grave. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye undimmed, his vigour unimpaired. The sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days. The days of weeping for the mourning rites of Moses came to an end. Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. It was he that the sons of Israel obeyed, carrying out the order that the Lord had given to Moses.
Since then, never has there been such a prophet in Israel as Moses, the man the Lord knew face to face. What signs and wonders the Lord caused him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh and all his servants and his whole land! How mighty the hand and great the fear that Moses wielded in the sight of all Israel!
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Gospel
Matthew 18:15-20
If your brother listens to you, you have won back your brother
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.
‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.
‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’
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