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All creation sings out with joy. Here we join creation’s song We praise your name O God Canticle of the Creatures St. Francis of Assisi All praise be yours, My Lord, through all that you have made. And first my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day.... How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendour! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
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May 1, 2014 · 1. The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. 2.
- Israel in Egypt Chapters 1:1-12:36
- From Egypt to Sinai: Exodus 12:37–19:25
- Law and Covenant: Exodus 20–27
- Priestly Worship: Chapters 28:1 – 31:11
- Law and Covenant: Exodus 31:12–40:38
Setting the scene: chapter 1
Exodus opens with a list of “the sons of Israel” (verse 1) who were the focus of the last part of Genesis. The attention shifts quickly in verse 7 to the “Israelites” (people of Israel). From this point on, the name Israel usually refers to the nation of people, not to the patriarch. Jacob’s descendants had been “fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them” (verse 7). By this time, a new pharaoh ruled over Egypt who did not honor the...
Moses: prince and alien: chapter 2
Pharaoh decreed that all Hebrew baby boys were to be drowned in the Nile River (Exodus 1:22). Moses’ life was saved by his mother’s resourceful action. She placed him in a watertight basket (the same Hebrew word, tebhah,used for Noah’s “ark”) and set it adrift in the river. Moses was later rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter. As a child growing up in the palace, Moses would have received a traditional Egyptian education, learning to read and write the Egyptian hieroglyphics and cursive scripts. As...
The burning bush: chapters 3-4
“Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush” (Exodus 3:1-2). Moses was at Mt. Sinai (Horeb), the place where God later gave the Ten Commandments to Israel (Exodus 1920). God had a great commission for Moses. He was to be God’s messenger to Pharaoh, and lead the Israelites to freedom....
Crossing the Red Sea: chapters 12:37–14:31
After centuries of living in a foreign land, the Israelites were free. This is what God had promised their father Abraham (Genesis 15:13-14). Before starting their journey to the border, God gave further instructions about how the Passover was to be observed. In this “dedication ceremony” of the Exodus, God announced how this great event was to be further commemorated. For seven days after the Passover, the Israelites were to eat unleavened bread as a reminder of their quick departure from Eg...
The Song of Moses and Miriam: chapter 15:1–21
This is one of the oldest songs recorded in the Bible. As a hymn of victory, it celebrated God’s miraculous triumph over the Egyptian army. Not only did the Israelites remember God’s past deliverance, they anticipated his future blessings (verses 13-18).
The people complain, but God provides: chapters 15:22–17:7
It was not long before the people started to complain. In Egypt, there had been an abundance of fish, fruit and vegetables, and no shortage of water. But in the Desert of Sinai, the people were soon hungry and thirsty (Exodus 15:22-27; 16:1-36). God gave them manna, a substance that would become Israel’s main food for 40 years. Manna probably means “what is it?” recalling the Israelites’ first reaction to it (Exodus 16:15). God’s method of provision was designed to teach them obedience and da...
The Ten Commandments: chapter 20:1–21
The law of Moses was a system of divinely inspired precepts that, in letter and in spirit, defined sin and regulated the Israelites’ conduct. The first four commandments concerned their relationship with God; the remaining six, their relationship with one another. Jesus explained this two-clause summary of the law in Matthew 22:37-40. The commandments show God’s concern for the whole of life. He set out rules and standards governing family relationships, regard for human life, sex, property,...
God’s law code: chapters 20:22–24:18
In this section of Scripture, we are introduced to “the Book of the Covenant” (Exodus 24:7), with its record of civil, social and religious legislation. It is the oldest record we have of Hebrew law. It gives us a detailed account of Israel’s duty to God and neighbor. As we deal with others, we should keep the principle of these laws in mind. This section addresses worship, civil laws, festivals and God’s faithfulness. Israel’s agreement to the covenant was formally sealed by burnt offerings...
Making the Tabernacle: chapters 25–27
God set out the terms of his covenant, and the Israelites had agreed to obey (Exodus 24:3). As a visible sign that he would always be with his people, God gave Moses instructions to build a special tabernacle, or tent – a portable sanctuary. God was to have a home amongst the Israelites. He would guide and accompany them wherever they went. They would know that he was no local god, whose power was limited to Sinai (adapted from Eerdmans’ Handbook to the Bible,p. 166).
The priesthood: chapter 28
Verses 1-5: Aaron, the high priest, typifies Christ (Hebrews 9). Aaron’s holy garments for “dignity and honor” (Exodus 28:2) represent the glory and beauty of Christ as our High Priest. Verses 6-14: The ephod was an apron-like garment worn under the high priest’s breast-piece. It had shoulder straps and an embroidered waistband, and was worn over a robe. On top of each of the shoulder pieces was an onyx stone encased in gold and engraved with the names of six tribes of Israel. Verses 15-29: T...
Priestly rituals: chapter 29
Verses 1-4: The washing: This cleansing in water, in which Aaron participated because he was a sinner, symbolizes our “rebirth and renewal” (Titus 3:5; John 3:5). Christ, as our “holy, blameless, pure” High Priest (Hebrews 7:26-28), did not need to be cleansed. Nevertheless, he yielded to John’s baptism in the Jordan to identify himself with sinners and fulfill the Old Testament prophecies (Matthew 3:13-17). Verses 5-25: The clothing and anointing: Aaron was clothed with splendid garments. Hi...
Worship and the altar of incense: chapter 30
Verses 1-10: The altar of incense was made of acacia wood overlaid with gold; it was 11.5 feet square and 3 feet high. Equipped with horns and poles for transporting it, the altar was located in the Holy Place in front of the curtain. Aaron offered incense twice daily. The incense symbolizes prayer, which, like an ascending sweet aroma, rises acceptably to heaven (Revelation 5:8; 8:3). No “other incense” (Hebrew: qetoreth zarah, meaning “incense that is strange or foreign to the law”) was to...
The Sabbath: chapter 31:12–18
The Sabbath was an appointed day of rest and worship. It was a memorial of the seventh day of creation, when God rested from his work. The observance of the Sabbath was included in the Ten Commandments, and was a sign between God and his people Israel (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:8-11; 31:17). It pictured a future reality — sharing in the rest of God through faith in Christ (Hebrews 4). Unfortunately, only six weeks after pledging their allegiance to God, the children of Israel demanded a replic...
Moses sees the glory of God: chapter 33
God’s punishment brought results. The Israelites discarded their personal idols. Moses, though, was still concerned. He wanted to ensure that God had restored favor to his people, so he asked for a bigger sign than in the past. Moses was permitted to see a glimpse of God’s glory (verses 18-23).
The covenant renewed: chapter 34
God renewed his covenant by engraving the law on a new set of stone tablets. This renewal of the covenant gave additional guidelines resulting from Israel’s worship of the golden calf, as well as warnings about the coming temptations of the Canaanite religion. For example, the Israelites were not to follow the Canaanite practice of cooking a young goat in its mother’s milk (verse 26). God also reiterated the Sabbath and three annual festivals (verses 18-22).
The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. Our Task Force is a privately funded organization whose purpose is to encourage participation ...
Print Download PDF. Prayer Resources for Parishes. “As individuals, as institutions, as a people, we need a change of heart to preserve. and protect the planet for our children and for generations yet unborn. (Global. Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence and the Common Good, US. Catholic Bishops, 2001)
Sep 1, 2023 · On this World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation Pope Francis invites us to reflect on the relationship between justice and creation. Inspired by the scriptures, “let justice flow on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream” (Amos 5:24), the power, simplicity, and clarity of water offers a vivid metaphor.
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invites us to make some interior space to listen more carefully to creation, to each other and to God. Fittingly, on this World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, Pope Francis has invited all Christians to reflect on the theme: “Listen to the voice of creation.” 1. Listening, after all, is integral to faith itself. As the encyclical ...
