My daughter Grace called me yesterday and asked me to have anyone who reads this to offer a prayer on behalf of one her clients father, Richard. While changing a tire in his driveway, things went awry and the car rolled over him crushing a number of his ribs. Please offer a prayer of healing for him today.
All praise and thanks to God, my Aunt Jackie has made progress in her battle against leukemia, my son’s father David (who goes in for more chemo on Monday) found out that his tumors have reduced in size by 50%, my sister-in-law Cheri is on the mend from her surgery, my sister Janice’ is back on her feet again too. Prayer is a powerful tool and I want to thank all of you for praying for my family in their time of need.
How many of you think of Charlton Heston when you think of either Moses or the 10 commandments? I thought about him again this morning when reading our readings for today’s Mass. Or for the humorous crowd, Mel Brookes, coming down from the mountain with the 15 commandments only to drop one of the tablets, thus giving us our 10 commandments (History of the World, Part One). Only in America would somebody watch this film, blow up the picture of the scene and translate the last 5 commandments that were dropped (and almost lost for good). Here they are…
11. Lo Ta’avor – You shall not pass.
12. Lo Tatzkhik – You shall not make people laugh or Lo Titzkhak – You shall not laugh.
13. Lo Tikneh – You shall not buy.
14. Lo Talunu – You shall not stay. (But the third letter may be a resh, which makes translation difficult.)
15. Lo Teshaber – You shall not break.
Without adding these last five, how well do you do with the first 10? Think about that. Is God your #1? Have you dropped the GD bomb? How about Mass on Sunday? How are Mom and Dad these days? No killing, adulterous, stealing people in this world? Gossiping? Stealing a second glance at the neighbors wife? Stealing a second glance at the neighbors 64″ HDTV (I know, he shouldn’t put the thing right in middle of his front window; was it wrong that I set up a lawn chair and watched Blazing Saddles from the street? It’s not the same without the sound – I wish he would put some outdoor speakers up for me!!). Back to the original 10 – how are you in following them? Today’s first reading should give you the proper motivation in doing so…
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
“This day the LORD, your God,
commands you to observe these statutes and decrees.
Be careful, then,
to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.
Today you are making this agreement with the LORD:
he is to be your God and you are to walk in his ways
and observe his statutes, commandments and decrees,
and to hearken to his voice.
And today the LORD is making this agreement with you:
you are to be a people peculiarly his own, as he promised you;
and provided you keep all his commandments,
he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory
above all other nations he has made,
and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God,
as he promised.”
If you’re asking what’s in it for me to do this, let me highlight the last part of this reading for you…
and provided you keep all his commandments,
he will then raise you high in praise and renown and glory
above all other nations he has made,
and you will be a people sacred to the LORD, your God,
as he promised.”
you will be…sacred to the LORD, your God,
as he promised.
Do something great for our Lord – fold up that lawn chair and follow the law of the Lord. As Jesus tells us in the Gospel – strive to be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.
God’s will, not mine, be done.
Be not afraid; just have faith.
Jesus, I trust in you.
He must increase; I must decrease.
Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.
But you man of God chose righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Compete well for the faith.
St. Mary Magdalen Men of God 