First Reading Deuteronomy 26: 5-10 21 January 2010
In tonight’s first reading, Moses reminded the Israelites to remember to give thanks to God who free the Israelites from the Slavery of the Egyptians. It was Moses’ final speech to the Israelites before they cross into the Promised Land
The offering of the first fruits are to be made once they have settled and the land has yielded its fruit. The offering is everything to do with recognising and acknowledging that “the land and its bounty” are gifts from God. It is an act of giving thanks & showing gratitude.
Liturgical instruction is then given on how the offering is to be made (vv. 5-10).
First, the one making the offering makes a response, a statement of faith (vv. 5b-10a). This statement of faith is for the most part a declaration of the history of the Lord’s dealings with Israel (cf. also Deut. 6:20-25). Memory has an important role to play in the acknowledgement of God’s gifts. In part, the person making the offering recalls who they are by remembering who their ancestors were: “a wandering Aramean” referring to the patriarch Jacob (Genesis 25-50). They further recall the terrible persecution of the ancestors as slaves by the Egyptians (Deut. 26: 5b-7).
The person also remembers who God has been for them by recalling the great compassion the Lord showed to their ancestors by setting them free from captivity. They remember how different things once were to how they are now. But they are not to forget the Lord who made that difference possible. The Lord is not just a gift giver, but one who bestows such gifts on those oppressed and treated harshly.
Thanksgiving for the land was not to be tied to the past or to that generation only, but needed to be acknowledged “today”, by the present generation. We today, are to cast ourselves in the role of those about to enter the land and enjoy its bounty anew. The message tonight is meant to bring us a new sense of giftedness, a new commitment to obedience, and a new sense of joy to be shared.
Praise the Lord!
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