Leviticus Chapter 9

LEVITICUS 

CHAPTER

 9

1. On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. 2. He said to Aaron, "Take a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.

(Leviticus chapter 9 verses 1 and 2)

When considering that the priests were called by God and offered to Him by the community, therefore that same community was also required to make a relative offering. In practise when youths are called for the celibate life as priests or community life as monks or sisters, the laity are requested to offer their prayers for those being consecrated to God as a means of spiritual support for their life of service to God and the community.

3. And say to the people of Israel, 'Take a male goat for a sin offering; a calf and a lamb, yearlings without blemish for a burnt offering; 4. and an ox and a ram for an offering of well-being to sacrifice before the LORD; and a grain offering mixed with oil. For today the LORD will appear to you.'

(Leviticus chapter 9 verses 3 to 4)



In order to be worthy to welcome the presence of God, His people were to prepare a particular offering. Likewise before being present for the sacrificial offering of the Eucharist we are also to prepare ourselves by confessing our sins. During our moments of prayer the presence of God is also present therefore as in this moment of reflection we are going to raise this prayer to God for we are also in His presence. I invite you to click on the following link and join me in the following prayer:-


We bring a sacrifice of praise



5.They brought what Moses commanded to the front of the tent of meeting; and the whole congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.

(Leviticus chapter 9 verse 5)


Oh God my Father how loving You are, when we start growing in our relationship You permit us to venture deeper in our relationship with You on a more deep and intimate level. I also pray for this gift of more intimacy with You. I pray to be emptied from my sinful self and become filled with You. I crave for more of You in my life for I am still a sinner.


6. And Moses said, "This is the thing that the LORD commanded you to do, so that the glory of the LORD may appear to you." 7.Then Moses said to Aaron, "Draw near to the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burn offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people; and sacrifice the offering of the people, and make atonement for them; as the LORD has commanded."

(Leviticus chapter 9 verses 6 to 7)


Aaron who was now the  new High Priest was instructed by Moses according to Your command to offer the first sacrificial offering which on comparison was like our 'Mass' or 'breaking of bread' which is celebrated on behalf of the celebrant meaning the priest and also on behalf of the community as a sacrifice of atonement. During Mass the Priest in the Roman Catholic Church does the same thing. Your body and blood as in the passion was the sacrifice of sacrifices that were offered for the redemption of our sins.


8. Aaron drew near to the altar, and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering which was for himself.

(Leviticus chapter 9 verse 8)


As Aaron drew close to the altar to offer his sacrifice, You oh God would like to draw us to the altar of Your love. You strongly desire relationship with us, during which we can offer our happiness and even our moments of unhappiness. God wants us to place before Him all our plans, wishes and desires, and wait on Him in a spirit of faith and in His good time God always in some way or another always answers our prayers in abundance. However we are to be humble enough to place our trust in Him and most important to rely on Him. God is a loving father and as a parent He knows what we need before we even think of it on the short term and or even on the long term.



9. The sons of Aaron presented the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar; and the rest of the blood he poured out at the base of the altar. 10. But the fat. the kidneys, and the appendage of the liver from the sin offering he turned into smoke on the altar as the LORD commanded Moses; 11. and the flesh and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp

(Leviticus chapter 9 verses 9 to 11)



As in the case of the priest during mass Aaron purified himself and also the altar before continuing with the process of offering the the sin offering to You. Oh how nice it would be if our souls were always in a state of purity a haven in which You can dwell. As in confession the priest absolves us of our sins and they are no more as in the offering of Aaron because they are turned into smoke, however although we are absolved of our sins, we are still to be accountable for them when we appear before You oh God who loves the sinner but not our sins.


 12. Then he slaughtered the burnt offering. Aaron's sons brought him the blood, and he dashed it against all sides of the altar. 13. And they brought him the burnt offering piece by piece, and the head, which he turned into smoke on the altar, with the burnt offering, turned them into smoke on the altar.

(Leviticus chapter 3 verses 12 to 13)


When performing this rite Aaron was purifying the altar by dashing the blood around the altar. Oh God every day of my life I offer You my thoughts and even my feelings as one whole offering. May You bless and consecrate my soul and even those of others who make part of my outer and inner circles. I offer You my work place where every day I offer You my day of work of service to You and the community. May my offering oh God be pleasing to You. Amen.



14. He washed the entrails and the legs and, with the burnt offering turned them into smoke on the altar. 15. Next he he presented the people's offering. He took the goat of the sin offering that was for the people, and slaughtered it, and presented it as a sin offering like the first one. 16. He presented the burnt offering, and sacrificed it according to regulation. 17. He presented the grain offering, and taking a handful of it, he turned it into smoke on the altar, in addition to the burnt offering of the morning.

(Leviticus chapter 9 verses 14 to 17)


After Aaron had offered his own sin offering he offered a sacrificial offering on behalf of the people. Thus in this way both Aaron his sons and the people and also ourselves accept ourselves as being sinners in need of redemption which make us part and shareholders of both Your passion as sinners and more the redemption of our sins as Your sons and daughters. As humans or Christians if we do not experience tribulations in this life we cannot experience Your Salvation, because we can only be saved by Your cross, and passion which led to our salvation. A simple analogy is that of the egg and the chicken. Without an egg no chicken can be born and without a chicken to lay the egg, there can be no egg, therefore without tribulation that is accepted as being according to Your will, there can be no salvation, because if we do not accept persecution and tribulation according to Your will we would become desperate and may even contemplate suicide or end up to be very sad and depressed.


18. He slaughtered the ox and the ram as a sacrifice of well-being for the people. Aaron's sons brought him the blood which he dashed against all sides of the altar; 19. and the fat of the ox and of the ram-the broad tile, the fat that covers the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat on them, and the appendage of the liver. 20. They first laid the fat on the breasts, and the fat was turned into smoke on the altar; 21. and the breasts and the right thigh Aaron raised as an elevation offering before the LORD, as Moses had commanded.

(Leviticus chapter 9 verses 18 to 21)


When offering our day to You oh God it is nice to offer You nothing but the best, however You love us so much that You even accept our shortcomings. However it is nice to offer You the best of our day and all that we do throughout our day.


22. Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them; and he came down after sacrificing the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the offering of well-being. 23. Moses and Aaron entered the tent of meeting, and then came out and blessed the people; and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. 24. Fire came out from the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

(Leviticus chapter 9 verses 22 to 24)


Now that the people had been purified and blessed by means of the sacrificial offerings they were ready to appear in Your presence, however this was so strong that they could not bear it so much that they fell on their faces.

I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:


Oh God may we all humble ourselves before You in Your Holy Presence. May You always dwell in our hearts forever. May all that I do and all that I say be an offering to You. May You accept me as I am and give me the faith and grace to be better. I offer You every second of my life as a living sacrifice  I also offer You my family each and every one, so that You will bless us and keep us under Your protection. Amen