Jesse Tree: 2nd Thursday- Joshua and the Fall of Jericho

2nd Sunday of Advent
Joshua and the Fall of Jericho

Image credit: Carolyn Pikoulas and the Diocese of Erie

Today's Jesse Tree ornament is the ram's horn trumpet. The horn reminds us of the story of Joshua. The scripture for today begins with the Israelites entrance into the Promised Land. After all of their years in the desert, Moses passed away and Joshua was chosen to lead the people across the Jordan and into the land they had been waiting for since their exodus from Egypt.

The second scripture tells the story of the battle at Jericho. The Israelites brought down the city walls not through force, but instead through solidarity and faithfulness to the will of God. The lesson for us in this story is the amazing power that the people of God have when they work together to do good in the world. We see this reflected in the New Testament, Matthew 18: 19-20: "Again, (amen,) I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

Today, think of "battles" in your daily life, or issues in the world that you are concerned about. Could collective prayer help? Could you gather your Christian community to help you? What wrongs could you right if you brought together a group of the faithful?

Today's Focus: Joshua and the Fall of Jericho
Symbol: Ram's horn trumpet
Scripture: Joshua 1:1-11, 6:1-20

Yesterday's Focus: God and the Torah at Mt. Sinai
Tomorrow's Focus: Gideon, Unlikely Heroes