So let's talk about today's readings 8/5/09

[cheeto1]

usccb.org/nab/today.shtml

“At this, the whole community broke out with loud cries,
and even in the night the people wailed”
– Naturally they were disappointed. They found out they couldn’t even go to the
promised land unless they fought giants. When you fight in a war, not everyone
lives. There may have been a couple wars where not a man was lost, but that
was rare. And what about the man who is killed in the war by a giant? Where is
the promised land for him? Where is the promised land for his grieving family?
They would rather have his life still with them than any promised land.

“here in the desert they shall die to the last man”
– Doesn’t it seem like the greatest sins possible are fear and complaining?
I have a question though: What about the last Woman? Did the women get to
the promised land? And – I wonder how the 19 year olds felt at this news?
These 59-year-olds who went to the promised land as the oldest living people
who saw the mighty works of God and lived? Was there no one among them who
was 60 or older?

“And her daughter was healed from that hour”
– and at that hour, where did the demon go? Was it destroyed?

This story just proves that all have the right to come to Jesus, if they come with
faith.

Today is the dedication of a basilica in Rome called St. Mary Major.
In Canada, it is the day of Frederic Janssoone.

So what struck you about today’s readings? :bible1::twocents:

 

[underhismercy]

"We cannot attack these people; they are too strong for us.”
So they spread discouraging reports among the children of Israel
about the land they had scouted, "

And they went on to say they felt like grasshoppers next to the giants. The Lord had promised He would give them the land. The enemy is never stronger than the promise of God. That’s the report the scouts should have given the people. But they spread discouragement and doubt instead. “They forgot the God who had saved them and done great deeds. Wonderous things in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea.” Ps 106

The Canaanite woman has always been such an example to me of faith despite the Lord’s initial reply. That is persistance . From a woman from the land of Canaan of all places !

 

[cheeto1]

and wasn’t Canaan the promised land that they were afraid to go to in the first reading?

You are right of course that no enemy is greater than the power of God.

I notice that Caleb wanted to fight right away, the others all didn’t, but before
arguing about it together, shouldn’t they have just asked God what to do?
They should have asked Moses to speak with God. Tell Him they are scared of
the giants, and say they will do whatever He says. Then they could have avoided
40 years worth of misery from all that wailing…