Homily
for Monday
Week
3 of Advent
Dec.
15, 2025
Num
24: 2-7, 15-17
Salesian
HS, New Rochelle, N.Y.
The Prophet Balaam and the Angel
[who stopped his 1st approach to Israel]
(by John Linnell)
“The spirit of God
came upon Balaam, and he gave voice to his oracle” (Num 24: 1).
The Israelites are on
their long journey from Egypt toward the Promised Land. As they pass thru Moab, east of the Jordan
River, the king of Moab is afraid of them and wants to halt them. So he hires Balaam, a soothsayer or fortune
teller, to curse Israel. In the world of
the Bible, words of cursing or of blessing have power.
But Balaam finds that
he’s under the power of God, and instead of cursing Israel he pronounces
blessings upon them, several times, in spite of having been paid by the king of
Moab to curse them.
God has chosen Israel
as his people, and he has plans for their welfare. Human beings can’t oppose them effectively if
God wants to bless them.
God has also chosen
us for blessings. He has sent his Son,
our Lord Jesus, to protect us from the curses that the devil wishes to inflict
upon us. In Jesus he blesses us. Thru Jesus he wants to lead us into a
promised land, into the kingdom of heaven.
No evil power can harm our souls or our eternal destiny if we stick with
Jesus, our Savior.
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