The choice iS yourS
The people led by Moses are entrusted with the Law of God. The Law was God's way of communicating life to His people. To obey the Law was to obey God, the Deliverer and Savior, who had led them thus far. The people had experienced blessing after blessing from God, who provided for them throughout their journey and who would be with them as they entered into the “promised land” of Canaan. Moses reminds the people about God who has always been with them. He tells them very simply that in order to live fully under the blessing of God, one must love the Lord, heed His voice and hold fast to Him. To do this, life was theirs. But then there is always the “if.” If you turn away from God, if your hearts and minds refuse to listen and obey, then death will be their fate. The choice is theirs. Moses exhorts them to choose life.
The Israelites were moving into foreign territory and their eyes must have widened when they saw the idolatry and pagan worship before them. At this time they only knew the One God, the Lord of Heaven and earth, yet as they moved further into territory, a new world was waiting to tempt and entice them. Already some of them had heard stories of their ancestors and experienced the idolatry of the people when Moses found them idolizing the gold calf. In life, we have to make many decisions, from the moment we wake up to the time we sleep. Some of those decisions have good repercussions; others bad. We live and learn by the choices we make daily. We decide what path to take regarding career, study, vocation. We decide what food to eat, what clothes to wear, what to do today. And we live with the consequences of our decisions!
Whatever choice we make, life should always be the motive, not death. The Lord wants us to live life to the full. He Himself came to give life and abundantly. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live — by loving the Lord, heeding His voice and holding fast to Him. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL
Reflection Question:
What decisions do I need to make today? Am I choosing life?
Lord, I choose life today. Help me to love with the power of Your life and love through the grace of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.
St. Porphyry of Gaza, Bishop, pray for us.
