Numbers 29 -- 31
Book of Numbers #14
The census is complete. War is coming and God prepares Israel through the holy celebration of the seventh month. War, like the rest of the calamities that plague the human race cannot be solved without the liturgy.
The first day of the seventh month -- it bears repeating -- is the entryway into the holiest part of the Jewish year and the tenth day is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Israel is about to enter the Promised Land and it begins with atonement, reminiscent of their departure from Egypt which began with Passover. Thus their sojourn in the wilderness is contained within a liturgical arc reminding us that our lives, our own passage through the wilderness begins with baptism and ends with the last rite.
It does not mean that liturgy is at the service of daily life; rather what it means is that daily life is liturgical or at least it should be.
Moses's life, as a servant of God, started with the plagues of Egypt and ended with the war against Midian. The incident at Baal Peor had left many Israelites dead but the Midianites were unharmed. So often, God begins by cleansing his house, the Church, before dealing with those who were the cause of the downfall. In this case, a war is declared against Midian in which Balaam, the one who spoke four blessings on Israel, died. So did Balak the King of Median.
Therefore, even if the events of our time may dismay and discourage us, we would do well to remember that Jesus Christ is Lord of history... always and at all times. All the events of our time will serve to his greater glory, whether we are willing participants or not.
