The Book of Numbers
Chapter 4
¹ The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: ² Take a census of the Kohathites separate from the other Levites, by their clans and their ancestral houses, ³ from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who qualify to do work relating to the tent of the meeting.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verses 1 to 3)
Oh God my Father I thank You for not discriminating negatively against people who are of a particular age as does the world today. I thank You for knowing me as I am with all my strengths and weaknesses. I thank You for finding me a job that I can do. I now understand why when a new pope is to be elected You chose the wise grey and white-haired heads to appear as candidates for the papacy. This has been Your will from the beginning. Amen.
⁴ The service of the Kohathites relating to the tent of meeting concerns the most holy things.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 4)
Oh God, my Father this is why You created the Roman Catholic Church and other churches so that they could be administrators of spiritual issues concerning our faith Amen.
⁵ When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the screening curtain, and cover the ark of the covenant with it; ⁶ then they shall put on it a covering of fine leather, and spread over that a cloth all of blue, and shall put its poles in place.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verses 5 to 6)
Oh God my Father since the very beginning You gave us clear instructions of how to handle the instruments used during mass. Now that we have not to move the tent, You motivated people such as sacristans in order to help maintain order and control over what goes on in the Church Amen. This is a special vocation that of being a Levite and serving in the Church. Amen.
⁷ Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; the regular bread also shall be on it; ⁸ then they shall spread over them a crimson cloth and cover it with a covering of fine leather, and shall put its poles in place.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verses 7 to 8)
Oh God my Father this is similar to the setup of the altar during mass. I offer You the altar of my heart where You are welcome to come and take Your place and we will have fellowship together Amen.
⁹ They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light, with its lamps, its snuffers, its tray, and all the vessels for oil with which it is supplied; ¹⁰ and they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of fine leather, and put it on the carrying frame.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verses 9 to 10)
Oh God my Father, special equipment need special care and special treatment. I pray for those members of Your body that need such special care. For myself, I consider being a commonly used utensil which has its own intrinsic personal value Amen, for in the eyes of God we are all of the sentimental value Amen.
¹¹ Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of fine leather, and shall put its poles in place; ¹² and they shall take all the utensils of the service that are used in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, and cover them with a covering of fine leather, and put them on the carrying frame.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verses 11 to 12)
Oh God my Father I pray that You keep me in good condition for I am also one of Your delicate vessels or instruments. I pray that You use me in every way possible for the good of humanity Amen. I am at Your disposal my God and Father Amen.
¹³ They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it; ¹⁴ and they shall put on it all the utensils of the altar, which are used for the service there, the firepans, the forks, the shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of fine leather, and shall put its poles in place.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verses 13 to 14)
A place for everything and everything in its place. In Your kingdom oh God my Father there is also a place for everyone and everyone will go in one's own place Amen.
¹⁵ When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the Kohathites shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, or they will die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the Kohathites are to carry.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 15)
Oh Jesus Christ my Father even though the Church of our times is not mobile as was the tent of the meeting, we still show respect to the altar on which You are offered on our behalf and even to the items used during the sacrament of the Eucharist Amen.
¹⁶ Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle and all that is in it, in the sanctuary and in its utensils.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 16)
Oh God, my Father You have all given us an important role to play as members of Your body the Church. Some have very important roles such as priests, bishops the pope among others and then there are others who have other roles knows as the laity. As a member of the Church oh God my Father I do not have such a role, however, I am at Your right hand a trustworthy tool which is ready to proclaim Your Word and do all that is necessary by means of my job and other different roles that You give me the opportunity of serving You with. Amen.
¹⁷ Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron saying; ¹⁸ You must not let the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 17 to 18)
Oh God my Father I thank You for this verse, You might be telling us to take care of minority groups in the Church because they are still a valued part of the Church Amen.
¹⁹ This is how you must deal with them in order that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each to a particular task or burden. ²⁰ But the Kohathites must not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment; otherwise they will die.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 19 to 20)
Oh God my Father even to this day non-believers or people from different religions are restricted in taking part in certain rituals if not with the benediction of the Roman Catholic Church. Amen.
²¹ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying; ²² Take a census of the Gershonites also, their ancestral houses and by their clans; ²³ from thirty years old up to fifty years old you shall enrol them, all who qualify to do work in the tent of meeting.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 21 to 23)
Oh God my Father I thank You for showing interest in us, not as numbers but as human beings. I thank You for choosing people to serve You on the altars as priests and even as sisters, brothers, friars and even missionaries. I thank You for the new vocations while I pray for even more. Amen.
²⁴ This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites, in serving and bearing burdens. ²⁵ They shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of meeting with its covering, and the outer covering of fine leather that is on top of it, and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, ²⁶ and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords, and all the equipment for their service, and they shall do all that needs to be done with regard to them.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 24 to 26)
Oh God my beloved Father, as You assigned this specific role to the Gershonites, I wish that You could specify a particular role to me in the Roman Catholic Church. Amen. On the other hand I accept as being my specific role the sharing of these reflections with the entire world, with those who have ears to listen Amen.
²⁷ All the service of the Gershonites shall be at the command of Aaron and his sons, in all that they are to carry, and in all that they have to do; and you shall assign to their charge all that they are to carry.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 27)
Oh God my Father as You entrusted this important role to the Gershonites, today there is the Roman Catholic Church who is in charge of such issues of moral and spiritual nature Amen. I thank You for assigning the Church to carry out this important role for the good of all humanity Amen.
⁴ The service of the Kohathites relating to the tent of meeting concerns the most holy things.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 4)
Oh God, my Father this is why You created the Roman Catholic Church and other churches so that they could be administrators of spiritual issues concerning our faith Amen.
⁵ When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the screening curtain, and cover the ark of the covenant with it; ⁶ then they shall put on it a covering of fine leather, and spread over that a cloth all of blue, and shall put its poles in place.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verses 5 to 6)
Oh God my Father since the very beginning You gave us clear instructions of how to handle the instruments used during mass. Now that we have not to move the tent, You motivated people such as sacristans in order to help maintain order and control over what goes on in the Church Amen. This is a special vocation that of being a Levite and serving in the Church. Amen.
⁷ Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink offering; the regular bread also shall be on it; ⁸ then they shall spread over them a crimson cloth and cover it with a covering of fine leather, and shall put its poles in place.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verses 7 to 8)
Oh God my Father this is similar to the setup of the altar during mass. I offer You the altar of my heart where You are welcome to come and take Your place and we will have fellowship together Amen.
⁹ They shall take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand for the light, with its lamps, its snuffers, its tray, and all the vessels for oil with which it is supplied; ¹⁰ and they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of fine leather, and put it on the carrying frame.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verses 9 to 10)
Oh God my Father, special equipment need special care and special treatment. I pray for those members of Your body that need such special care. For myself, I consider being a commonly used utensil which has its own intrinsic personal value Amen, for in the eyes of God we are all of the sentimental value Amen.
¹¹ Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of fine leather, and shall put its poles in place; ¹² and they shall take all the utensils of the service that are used in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, and cover them with a covering of fine leather, and put them on the carrying frame.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verses 11 to 12)
Oh God my Father I pray that You keep me in good condition for I am also one of Your delicate vessels or instruments. I pray that You use me in every way possible for the good of humanity Amen. I am at Your disposal my God and Father Amen.
¹³ They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it; ¹⁴ and they shall put on it all the utensils of the altar, which are used for the service there, the firepans, the forks, the shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of fine leather, and shall put its poles in place.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verses 13 to 14)
A place for everything and everything in its place. In Your kingdom oh God my Father there is also a place for everyone and everyone will go in one's own place Amen.
¹⁵ When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the Kohathites shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, or they will die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the Kohathites are to carry.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 15)
Oh Jesus Christ my Father even though the Church of our times is not mobile as was the tent of the meeting, we still show respect to the altar on which You are offered on our behalf and even to the items used during the sacrament of the Eucharist Amen.
¹⁶ Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering, and the anointing oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle and all that is in it, in the sanctuary and in its utensils.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 16)
Oh God, my Father You have all given us an important role to play as members of Your body the Church. Some have very important roles such as priests, bishops the pope among others and then there are others who have other roles knows as the laity. As a member of the Church oh God my Father I do not have such a role, however, I am at Your right hand a trustworthy tool which is ready to proclaim Your Word and do all that is necessary by means of my job and other different roles that You give me the opportunity of serving You with. Amen.
¹⁷ Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron saying; ¹⁸ You must not let the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 17 to 18)
Oh God my Father I thank You for this verse, You might be telling us to take care of minority groups in the Church because they are still a valued part of the Church Amen.
¹⁹ This is how you must deal with them in order that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each to a particular task or burden. ²⁰ But the Kohathites must not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment; otherwise they will die.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 19 to 20)
Oh God my Father even to this day non-believers or people from different religions are restricted in taking part in certain rituals if not with the benediction of the Roman Catholic Church. Amen.
²¹ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying; ²² Take a census of the Gershonites also, their ancestral houses and by their clans; ²³ from thirty years old up to fifty years old you shall enrol them, all who qualify to do work in the tent of meeting.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 21 to 23)
Oh God my Father I thank You for showing interest in us, not as numbers but as human beings. I thank You for choosing people to serve You on the altars as priests and even as sisters, brothers, friars and even missionaries. I thank You for the new vocations while I pray for even more. Amen.
²⁴ This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites, in serving and bearing burdens. ²⁵ They shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle and the tent of meeting with its covering, and the outer covering of fine leather that is on top of it, and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, ²⁶ and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords, and all the equipment for their service, and they shall do all that needs to be done with regard to them.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 24 to 26)
Oh God my beloved Father, as You assigned this specific role to the Gershonites, I wish that You could specify a particular role to me in the Roman Catholic Church. Amen. On the other hand I accept as being my specific role the sharing of these reflections with the entire world, with those who have ears to listen Amen.
²⁷ All the service of the Gershonites shall be at the command of Aaron and his sons, in all that they are to carry, and in all that they have to do; and you shall assign to their charge all that they are to carry.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 27)
Oh God my Father as You entrusted this important role to the Gershonites, today there is the Roman Catholic Church who is in charge of such issues of moral and spiritual nature Amen. I thank You for assigning the Church to carry out this important role for the good of all humanity Amen.
²⁸ This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites relating to the tent of meeting, and their responsibilities are to be under the oversight of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 28)
Oh God my Father as You know in every organisation consisting of those who manage and oversee and those who carry out the actual work. I pray that You help me to respect and accept those who are my overseers with a lot of love and understanding. Make me bee humble to accept their instruction and correction Amen.
²⁹ As for the Merarites, you shall enroll them by their clans and their ancestral houses: ³⁰ from thirty years old up to fifty years old you shall enroll them, everyone who qualifies to do the work of the tent of meeting.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 29 to 30)
Oh God my Father in Your Church nobody is unemployed. Moreover, there is a place for everyone regardless of one's level of education, for there is a lot of work to be done and not enough people to do it Amen. I thank and pray all volunteers who dedicate their limited time in Your service Amen.
³¹ This is what they are charged to carry, as the whole of their service in the tent of meeting; the frames of the tabernacle with its bars, pillars, and bases, ³² and the pillars of the court all around with their bases, pegs, and cords, with all their equipment and all their related service; and you shall assign by name the objects that they are required to carry. ³³ This is the service of the clans of the Merarites, the whole of their service relating to the tent of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
(The Book of Numbers Chapter 4 verse 31 to 33)
Oh God my Father You have assigned particular roles to every person and You did so in a special way by name. I thank You for assigning to me my work with Asylum Seekers and the sharing of this blog as a means of prayer Amen.
