SAINT CLARE, VIRGIN (MEMORIAL)

You shall not cross over. 

Do you ever dream of your own “promised land”? For some of us, it may be that bucket list of things we hope to have accomplished before we die. For others, it’s more poignant, like getting debt free or reconciling with an estranged family member. Whatever it is, we all understand that getting to our promised land requires hard work—and that it isn’t guaranteed.

Moses is the perfect example of someone who worked hard to get to his—literal—Promised Land but who didn’t make it. It’s true, he got to gaze on the land before he died, as today’s first reading (Deuteronomy 34:1-12) tells us, but he never set foot in it.

Isn’t this remarkable? No one would call Moses a failure. We don’t look at him and shake our heads in disappointment. Instead, we recall his dedication, his humility, and his courage and wish that we could be a little more like him.

We all have times when it feels as if we’re stuck in the desert and our promised land seems far out of reach. Our debt may not have diminished much, despite our best efforts, or our distant family member may still refuse to take our phone calls. Through it all, we yearn for some kind of sign that we’re on the right path and that we’ll finally get there.

But sometimes the journey matters more than the destination. Sometimes we learn lessons along the way that bring us closer to our one true promised land: heaven. Sometimes we have to leave our dreams in God’s hands and trust that he will continue to work even after we have gone to be with him. Just ask Moses, who never entered the Promised Land but who had to leave it to Joshua to finish the journey.

This is God’s promise for us today: even if we never see all of our dreams come true, he will still bless our dedication to him. We don’t need to enter our earthly promised land in order to find our true Promised Land. God loves us deeply, he treasures our obedience to him, and he honors every good thing we try to do for him. And in the end, that’s what matters most.

“Lord, help me find peace in my journey to the land you have promised me.”

Psalm 66:1-3, 5, 8, 16-17
Matthew 18:15-20
Deuteronomy 34:1-12

WORD AMONG US