Choose

Homily for Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Today’s reading from the book of Deuteronomy echoes the sentiments that we heard last Sunday when Moses laid before the people the choice of life or death. The reading today makes it clear that to choose life, we must obey the commandments and statutes of the Lord. Consequently, today’s mindfulness trigger is the word “choose.”

When we are asked to make a choice, most of us would not ordinarily choose something peculiar. Yet, the word of the Lord as it comes to us from Moses tells us that if we choose to obey the commandments, we will be of people peculiarly God’s own. The word peculiar has some negative connotations. However, in this instance, it simply means that we will be special in the eyes of God. If we choose to obey.