Day 28: Leviticus 21-24

Summaries:
God tells Moses of the sanctity of the priesthood, how they are to remain clean and sacred to God, they are not to marry prostitutes, and are to marry virgins. Also, priests should not have irregularities, such as being blind, lame, or hunchbacked (21). If anyone goes near the sacrificial offerings while unclean, they will be cut off. One can only eat from the sacrificial offerings when clean, and only a priest, no layman. Animal sacrifices will not be accepted if the animal has an irregularity, and animals are to stay with their mother for 7 days after birth before being allowed to be used as sacrifices (22). The Lord gives some of the rules for holy days, such as the Sabbath, Passover, the feast of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, New Year's Day, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Booths (23). The lamps were to burn regularly before the Lord in the sanctuary, and flour cakes are to be sacrificed regularly on each sabbath day, to be eaten by Aaron and his sons. Then the story of a blasphemer is told, and he is stoned to death for cursing God, and God gives the law of "eye for an eye, life for a life" regarding punishment and restitution (24).

Reflections:
Chapter 22 had me reflecting on the thought of the people in the sanctuary and the necessity to be clean, compared to today, how we are not to receive the Eucharist unless in a state of grace, not bound by mortal sins. It almost makes more sense in today's terms, not that the clean-ness of that day didn't make sense, but seeing how we are receiving the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus in the Eucharist, we cannot also be filled with uncleanness. God calls us to seek his forgiveness and make restitution whenever we sin through his sacrament of Penance, and then when we are made clean, we can receive him.

Thank God the way to become clean today is a whole lot easier than it was back then. Well, as long as it's a Saturday afternoon (j/k).