Today, we hear from the last chapter of Deuteronomy. It is the very last chapter in the Pentateuch – the first five books of the Old Testament that have such a prominent role in Judaism. I’ve alway been disappointed at the circumstances of Moses' death, about how Moses was not able to enter the promised land, the place where he led the people amidst their grumbling and rebellion. I always thought it was unfair that God did not let Moses enter that promised land. Moses’ leadership of the people of Israel ended at their arrival in the promised land. Even though God had shown him the goal and end point of all his hard work, God did not permit him to enjoy it, even though he took possession of it in the name of his people.
We celebrate Moses as a great prophet in our Catholic faith. His story and entire Exodus story have a lot to teach us as Christians. One statement that struck me in one of our readings from the book of Numbers described Moses this way: “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:13). I do not remember hearing this comment previously in my study of the Bible, and it really challenged the way I viewed Moses. I always saw him as a tenacious and courageous leader; I really did not focus on his humility. Today, many Christians see the liberation of Moses and of the Israelites in the Exodus story as a paradigm from what we need to be liberated from in our lives. I think that is a good way to view Moses and the Exodus story of the Jewish people.
Let us celebrate Moses today. Let us learn from his life and thank him for the lessons of faith that he teaches us.
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