19 February 2024
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.
From Leviticus 19:1-2,11-18, NRSV
The book of Leviticus is a book of laws. It contains the laws given by God to the Jewish people, God’s chosen people. Jewish people held these laws in high regard even though they did not always live up to them. They understood that these laws would help them to live good and holy lives. Before outlining the many laws they were expected to follow, Moses was commanded to tell the people why they were to follow them. The purpose of the laws was to make the people into a holy people whose holiness came from God’s own holiness. Just as children resemble their parents, so God’s chosen people were to resemble God. The laws they were to follow were not to be a burden or a duty but the means by which they could become the people God wanted them to be.
- Why do you think Moses was instructed to speak to the people about holiness?
- What does it mean to be “holy” today?
Reflect on the laws (civic, national, religious, moral) by which you live and why these matter.
