20250812 PASSING ON THE BATON GRACIOUSLY
12 August 2025, Tuesday, 19th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
Deuteronomy 31:1-8 |
Joshua shall cross the Jordan at your head
Moses proceeded to address these words to the whole of Israel, ‘I am one hundred and twenty years old now, and can no longer come and go as I will. The Lord has said to me, “You shall not cross this Jordan.” It is the Lord your God who will cross it at your head to destroy these nations facing you and dispossess them; and Joshua too shall cross at your head, as the Lord has said. The Lord will treat them as he treated Sihon and Og the Amorite kings and their land, destroying them. The Lord will hand them over to you, and you will deal with them in exact accordance with the commandments I have enjoined on you. Be strong, stand firm, have no fear of them, no terror, for the Lord your God is going with you; he will not fail you or desert you.’
Then Moses summoned Joshua and in the presence of all Israel said to him, ‘Be strong, stand firm; you are going with this people into the land the Lord swore to their fathers he would give them; you are to give it into their possession. The Lord himself will lead you; he will be with you; he will not fail you or desert you. Have no fear, do not be disheartened by anything.’
Responsorial Psalm |
Deuteronomy 32:3-4,7-9 |
The Lord’s portion was his people.
I proclaim the name of the Lord.
Oh, tell the greatness of our God!
He is the Rock, his work is perfect,
for all his ways are Equity.
The Lord’s portion was his people.
Think back on the days of old,
think over the years, down the ages.
Ask of your father, let him teach you;
of your elders, let them enlighten you.
The Lord’s portion was his people.
When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided the sons of men,
he fixed their bounds according to the number of the sons of God;
but the Lord’s portion was his people,
Jacob his share of inheritance.
The Lord’s portion was his people.
Gospel Acclamation | Mt11:25 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.
Alleluia!
Or: | Mt11:29 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Shoulder my yoke and learn from me,
says the Lord,
for I am gentle and humble in heart.
Alleluia!
Gospel |
Matthew 18:1-5,10,12-14 |
Anyone who welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me
The disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
‘Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
‘See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.
‘Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray? I tell you solemnly, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.’
PASSING ON THE BATON GRACIOUSLY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Dt 31:1-8; Dt 32:3-4,7-9; Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14]
Moses, we read in today’s first reading, was one hundred and twenty years old. No matter how wise or good we are as leaders, the end will have to come, and we will need to pass on. One hundred and twenty years is indeed a long time in the life of a person. But what is important, however, is that his life was not lived in vain, for God had a unique mission for him. Indeed, when God gives us the privilege of living a long and healthy life, it is never meant just for ourselves, but for the service of His people. A long life has meaning only when we live for others and make a difference in their lives.
Yet we must also learn to allow God to unfold our life for us. We walk in faith, not knowing clearly what the future holds. This was also the case with Moses. His life could be divided into three segments, and in each one, he adapted to the changes in his circumstances and fortune. He did not lament over what his life could have been, as many of us do, nor was he envious of others. At every stage of his life, he responded generously and creatively to the challenges he faced. He did not dwell on the past but was always ready to move forward as the situation demanded. He did not cling to power or to his desires. Instead, he was ready to accept whatever the Lord deemed best for him.
Indeed, he was the kind of child of God that Jesus spoke about in the Gospel. When the disciples asked the Lord, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”, Jesus “called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Moses was fully disposed to God’s plan for him.
Indeed, in the first forty years of his life, Moses lived in luxury, unlike his fellow Hebrews, who were enslaved and deprived of both comfort and rights. Yet, this life of privilege was part of God’s preparation for his future mission. His experience in the Egyptian court would later give him the insight and wisdom needed to deal with Pharaoh and his officials. He saw the injustices inflicted upon his fellowmen. In a moment of deep anger at the oppression of one of his fellow Hebrews, he acted rashly and killed an Egyptian – an action he should not have taken. As a consequence, the next forty years saw him reduced from being a prince of Egypt to an exile in the mountains, living in simplicity and frugality as a shepherd tending sheep. He might have thought that he would end his days in Midian, quietly and anonymously looking after sheep. But God had a bigger plan for him. The final forty years of his life would be spent leading God’s people. That forty years in exile was a period of prayer, formation, and reflection. God works in His own time.
This is something we can learn from Moses: we do not know exactly what God has in store for us. Yet, with faith, we must just cooperate with His plan when it is made known to us. We should not resist God’s will for us, for He is in control of our lives, and even when we make mistakes, He can turn all things to our good. We should not think that just because we are put in “cold storage” – whether through the envy of others at work or through our own failings – we are finished. Indeed, God has a plan for each of us. What may seem like a tragedy can become a stepping stone for growth and opportunity. But we must wait patiently, as Moses did, to answer God’s call. There is no age limit to God’s calling. Moses was eighty when he began a new life as the leader of the sons of Israel and a new nation, Israel. So too, we never know when the Lord might call us to a new mission. Just when we think it is time to retire, God may have something important for us to do. This is why we must remember: man proposes, but God disposes. Our task is simply to act like Moses did – faithful to God’s plan and to the responsibilities entrusted to us.
However, we must also learn from Moses that when it is time to retire and let the young generation take over, we must be ready to do so. Moses did not cling to his position, nor did he demand from God that, after forty years in the desert – enduring hardships and journeying with the people – he should at least be granted the privilege of entering the Promised Land. He made no demands on God. Instead, he was gracious and obedient to God’s decision that he would only see the Promised Land from afar, but never enter it. At the same time, Moses understood that while his own time was drawing to a close, God’s mission would continue. He had done his part and was ready to depart from this world. He did not even want a monument to remember him, and hence his grave was left unmarked. He had done his job and he was ready to return to God. There was no tinge of anger, resentment or attachment.
His graciousness and readiness to hand over the baton was seen in the way, he instructed and encouraged Joshua, the appointed successor. He told Joshua that whilst his time for him to go was near, God would continue to be with Joshua and His people. His words were one of encouragement. He reminded Joshua that it would not be through his strength and ingenuity that they would occupy the Promised Land, but through the power of God: “It is the Lord your God who will cross it at your head to destroy these nations facing you and dispossess them. The Lord will treat them as he treated the Amorite kings and their land, destroying them. The Lord will hand them over to you, and you will deal with them in exact accordance with the commandments I have enjoined on you.” Indeed, the Lord is the Commander of the army of Israel.
Consequently, Joshua, like Moses before him, was urged to “be strong, stand firm, have no fear of them, no terror, for the Lord your God is going with you; he will not fail you or desert you.” The assurance of God’s presence was enough for Joshua to find the courage to lead Israel into the next stage of its growth as a nation. Their strength was never to be founded on an earthly leader, for all leaders are qualified by God. The only leader that they were to follow was God Himself and the one He had chosen to represent Him. He is the advance guard. He is our companion. God is faithful to His people and to the leader chosen for them. “Then Moses summoned Joshua and in the presence of all Israel said to him, ‘Be strong, stand firm; you are going with this people into the land the Lord swore to their fathers he would give them; you are to give it into their possession. The Lord himself will lead you; he will be with you; he will not fail you or desert you. Have no fear, do not be disheartened by anything.”
Indeed, biblical faith is covenant faith. In everything, we are bound to God through a covenant. This covenantal relationship is at the heart of our relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters in the Bible. As Christians, our commitment to one another – whether in groups or to each other – is not rooted in loyalty to a human leader, but in our shared fidelity to God and His mission. As the responsorial psalm says, “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided the sons of men, but the Lord’s portion was his people, Jacob his share of inheritance.”
Let us learn from Moses and Joshua to be humble and faithful servants. Moses was going back to God, while Joshua was preparing to lead God’s people into the Promised Land. Both recognized that they were merely privileged instruments appointed only for a limited period of time to do God’s work. The unchanging leader of Israel was, and always is, the Lord Himself. As His appointed agents, we must always submit ourselves to God’s supreme leadership and not take upon ourselves to do as we will. As the Lord reminded His disciples, “See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.” As leaders, we must protect our people with all our strength and wisdom. We must seek to be faithful to the Word of God and not lead our people according to our wisdom. We should never twist and turn the Word of God to suit the demands of the world out of fear of losing popularity. Moses stood firm with the people when it came to obedience to the Lord. So, too, let us, as leaders, ensure that those whom we lead will truly enter the Promised Land and not be misled into perdition.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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