July 20, 2009
Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
And they complained to Moses, "Were there no burial places in Egypt that you had to bring us out here to die in the desert? Why did you do this to us? Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Did we not tell you this in Egypt, when we said, 'Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians'? Far better for us to be the slaves of the Egyptians than to die in the desert." Exodus 14:11-12
He said to them in reply, "An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. Matthew 12:39-40
Piety
Lord, we know that you have something greater in mind for us. We know that we will attain something greater when we dwell in full communion with you. However, there are so many distractions and desires that are set up as hurdles in the race to be with you. Send us your spirit to remove these hurdles so that we can respond to you with the fullness of the faith you ask. Amen.
Study
The human limitations on faith come through in today’s readings. Something greater than a human dimension of faith is needed. Something greater can overcome death in the Egyptian desert, in the belly of the whale or in the passion and death of Jesus.
What does Jesus refer to when he talks of “something greater?” In the Hebrew Bible, they did not have Christ. Yet, people responded to the witness of Jonah and Solomon. Now, the Jews had the greater ministry of Jesus to prompt them into action. That ministry was “something greater” that Jonah and Solomon. That ministry alone was not enough for the Jews. They wanted more. They wanted more signs of God’s love and miracles. But they would not get “more” unless they showed even a little faith the size of a mustard seed because Jesus rewarded faith with his miracles and signs. Jesus did not reward doubt.
Action
Who will we serve? The children of Israel preferred to be slaves to pharaoh rather than die in the desert. However, the relationship Moses had with the Lord helped them to overcome imminent death in the desert just as Jonah had overcome death in the belly of the whale.
What and who do we serve?
