Written on January 18 and posted today as a Favorite . . .
Moses Pleading With Israel“Moses manifested God’s power through miracles, God’s authority through the promulgation of the commandments and the law, and God’s mercy through the intimacy granted him by the Lord for his own faithfulness and meekness. The very personification of the old covenant, Moses was also a type of Christ, the Prophet and Legislator of the new. God’s honor devolved upon him: Moses was actually God’s substitute in dealing with Pharaoh, hence God entrusted his own honor to Moses”. (Senior 867-868)
Power, authority, mercy, intimacy, faithfulness and meekness. Here is a valuable lesson for us.
The sort of meekness that is the gracious humility shown by Christ is also the meekness that Moses demonstrated. This meekness leads to faithfulness.
Jesus Teaching in the TempleThe sort of faithfulness that is constant and intentional is the fidelity shown by Christ to the father and to his flock. This faithfulness leads to intimacy.
The sort of intimacy that shares and does not control is lived by Christ in every story we read about him. This intimacy leads to mercy.
The sort of mercy that is compassion is personified by Christ. This mercy leads to authority.
The sort of authority vested in Christ is the same authority we are granted when we follow Christ. This authority leads to power.
This power is everlasting. It comes from the father, is explained to us by the prophets, and is lived for us by Christ.
Moses is a personification of the Old Covenant, Jesus is the New. God entrusts Christ’s honor to those who are meek, merciful and in intimate relationship with him.
Here is a valuable lesson for us. Let us take it in today, and let us ponder it.
A re-post from November 1, 2011.
Senior, Donald, ed. THE CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE. New York, Oxford University Press, 1990.867-868. Print.
Fear of abandonment is a horror that grips many and as a result lovers jilt one another so as not to be left by the other, parents abuse their children so as to not be disappointed, colleagues betray one another in order to keep a job, supervisors coerce workers in order to maintain complete control, friends disappear from relationships rather than work through conflict. We can imagine how the kingdom might bloom if we were to fully comprehend one single fact – we are never alone, God is with us always and so there is no need to allow the terror of rejection to govern us.
Christ brings us a message of inversion, as we have said in many Noontimes. He tells us that what is up in our physical world is actually down in his. The poor and the humble inherit, those who mourn rejoice, the hungry and thirsty are sated, and those who suffer persecution because of this belief reign. When any of my siblings or I complained of an injustice – perceived or real – my mother would remind us easily and with a smile: The first will be last . . . the master is the servant.
So if we are to live as if we believe in this first is last kingdom-building, we perceive abandonment as its inverted companion. Union. Christ is with us to remind us that the jilted are his special loves, the lost children his particular darlings, and the oppressed his best and closest friends. In today’s Noontime, God shows the Hebrew people how much they are loved. God tells them that they are not alone. God reminds them that they are unique and chosen loved ones; yet they do not understand. Across the millennia we hear their cry, see their pain, and we ask as the Hebrews did: Why do we suffer? Why do things like this happen? How are we to go on? We are still God’s stiff-necked people.
Water springing from a rock, manna and quail in the desert: God knows that there are hidden gifts in hard, dry places; God knows that manna gathers itself like dew in the desert morning; God knows that great flocks of quail migrate over the wilderness and come to ground to rest; yet we persist in disbelief. We continue to ask as the Hebrews ask: Is the Lord in our midst or not?
In verses 8 through 13 we watch Joshua defeat the army of Amalek as long as Moses keeps his hands raised. This story fascinated me as a child and I spent days lurking behind my brothers and sisters willing them to do things I wanted when I raised my hands to heaven. God in great wisdom did not answer those requests; but God has answered many more as God accompanies me on my journey.
After the defeat of the Amalekites, the Lord says to Moses: Write this down in a document as something to be remembered, and recite it in the ears of Joshua. In Old Testament language, the Lord tells the people that God will always be among them to defend them; God will not allow them to be wiped out. God tells them that they are not alone, and that God will bring goodness out of evil. Always.
We are never alone. We are constantly loved. We are rescued, comforted, healed and held. Always. Without fail. There are no circumstances and no people we need ever fear. The parched desert and the brutality of the Amalekites in our lives need not send us into panic because God is in our midst.
And so we too, can write this down . . . We have nothing to fear becausethe Lord will war against our enemies. Throughout the centuries.
We are familiar with the elements of this story: the birth of Moses, the call from the burning bush, the killing plagues, crossing the Red Sea, wandering in the desert, and finally a glimpse of the Promised Land. This is Moses’ story, it is Jesus’ story, it is the story of the faithful servant, and it is our own.
From DAILY REFLECTIONS FOR LENT: NOT BY BREAD ALONE 2018 written by Michelle Francl-Donnay. Exodus reminds us we are not to settle into our pews, to watch events unfold like an epic movie in which the hero rises in the very last scene, only to pour back out into the lobby at intermission, tossing our crumpled worship aids into the recycling bins. No, sit on the edge of your seats, and be ready to fly forth with only what you have in hand”.(Francl-Donnay 92-93)
Francl-Donnay reminds us that as faithful servants, we must be ready for flight.
The Eucharist is fast food, trail food. This is not a private feast, a family dinner to be lingered over, however reverent, and beautiful the liturgy is. This is a public meal, food for those in flight, food for those about to be dispatched on a mission. (Francl-Donnay 92-93)
James Tissot: The Last Supper
Francl-Donnay reminds us that as faithful servants, we must be prepared to receive God’s promise in the person of Jesus.
Tonight we will do as Jesus commanded at the Last Supper. We will wash each other’s feet, to show each other in the presence of the faithful what we have vowed to do. (Francl-Donnay 92-93)
Francl-Donnay reminds us that as faithful servants, we must go into the world with words and acts of peace.
So now we wrap Christ around us, and kneel before the hungry child, the homeless mother, the refugee whose shoes are worn through, to care tenderly for what the world would trample underfoot. (Francl-Donnay 92-93)
Francl-Donnay reminds us that as faithful servants – and no matter the sorrow or pain we suffer – we must make our exodus into the world with words and acts of joy.
James Tissot: The Mess of Pottage – Jacob and Esau
This reflection continues thoughts posed in the Revenge and Forgivenessposts on this blog.
Obadiah, one of the Minor Prophets, offers us ideas we will want to examine further.
From the ARCHEOLOGICAL STUDY BIBLE we discover themes. We learn that Obadiah’s name means “servant of Yahweh,” and many scholars believe that his brief prophecy was written between 586 and 553 B.C.E. We know that Obadiah does not specify that his prophecy is meant for any particular king or event; yet he indicates that a major calamity has occurred in Judah and that the Edomites have capitalized on this event. In general, scholars believe that there was a post-exilic setback for the Israelites, and most believe it to be the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E. They also remind us that Edom itself fell to this same empire in 553 B.C.E. All of this sets up a story of intense tribalism, payback, and retaliation. We look a little further.
Who are the Edomites and where is their land? These people descended from Esau, the son of Issac, who was cheated of his heritage by his brother Jacob and his mother. Obadiah writes to the people of Judah (the descendants of Jacob) condemning the Edomites for their treachery and violence toward the people of Judah. He also rails against the people for their sins of arroganceand indifference toward God. So this prophecy harkens back to the conflict between these two brothers. Judah feels that the hostility shown to them when they are at a low point by the people of Edom is crueland unjustified.Edom’s arrogance was founded in its nearly impregnable mountain strongholds where the Edomites safeguarded their wealth (gained from trade) in rock vaults. Obadiah teaches that God is sovereign over allnations. (Zondervan 1464-1465)
James Tissot: The Meeting of Esau and Jacob
So much of what we read here reminds us of the story we live each day; our modern world is occupied with ancient themes: indifference to a higher authority, arrogance of the ego, injustice of systems and structures, and the use of cruelty as a fair means to any end. The rivalries in this prophecy echo the petty rivalries we set up early in life and, as we grow older, carefully nurture.
Turning to today’s reading, we see these familiar words in verse 18: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” Yet, despite our recognition of the truth these words bring to us, we need more urging. The prophet, knows that despite enlightenment we will have setbacks, and so he lays them out for us to examine in ourselves: the malignant hope for revenge, the overpowering force of hubris, the willingness to use any means to achieve our ends, the animal-instinctive fear of others. Obadiah asks us examine the suffering of our daily experience as we reflect on his prophecy.
As New Testament believers, we want to be poised for Jesus’ coming into our lives and receptive to the Spirit that lives among us. Feeling Christ’s call to our highest goodness, we might look at Hebrews 11 and determine to follow the example of the faithful lived by the Patriarchs: Adam, Enoch, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, and the Judges . . . “all these . . . approved by the testimony of faith”. We might look to these people as models of how and what we are to do, how and why we are to overcome our lust for revenge, how and why we are to practice love. When we study their individual stories, we see that these ancestors do not lead perfect lives; but they strive for that perfection in their loyalty to Yahweh. They listen, they obey, and they bear their trials well.
In the name of Jesus, let us call out our best selves to serve God, to fulfill his hope in us. Let us be good and loyal servants who want nothing more than to discern our mission and to complete it well. We ask this in the name of Jesus, the one who dwells among us to lead us, to heal us, to restore us, to be one with us.
Amen.
Adapted from a Favorite written on October 27, 2007.
Read the brief prophecy of Obadiah and compare varying translations to better understand our tendency to seek revenge . . . and our need to rely on God’s wisdom rather than our own.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY BIBLE (NIV). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2005. 1464-1465. Print.
This chapter of Exodus tells us the story of Moses in much the same way that folktales of that era recounted the origin of a hero, especially of Sargon of Akkad in the late eighth century before Christ (Meeks 80). Today’s story ends in an interesting way in the NEW AMERICAN BIBLE: [God] saw the Israelites and knew . . .
Notes from the HARPERCOLLINS STUDY BIBLE point out that the meaning of the Greek word know can have various connotations just as in English. We can know something and care about it, we can know it and be indifferent, or we can know something and then act upon what we know. The NEW AMERICAN version with the ending ellipsis leaves us with something to ponder. [God] saw the Israelites and knew . . .
God – being God – knows all. God knows all before it happens, God knows all presently, God knows all there will ever be to know, and God knows it eternally. God certainly heard and understood the plight of the Hebrew people who had gone to Egypt with Joseph, and later Jacob, the rest of his sons, and all of their families. God knew and comprehended their circumstances. So when the enslaved people groaned and cried out, God heard, understood. God knew they were suffering and God chose to act upon this knowledge. God knows all people in this way. God knows us in this way now.
God saw the people and knew . . .
Tomorrow, knowing God and acting.
Meeks, Wayne A., Gen. Ed. HARPERCOLLINS STUDY BIBLE (NRSV). New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1989. Print.
Adapted from a reflection written on February 24, 2010.
Image from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tissot_Moses_Laid_Amid_the_Flags.jpg
This is one of my favorite Psalms. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge, of whom am I afraid?
We all seek God’s face. This is what we miss so much in our pilgrimage on this planet. Where do we find this face? The psalmist tells us: In the temple.
This week’s Mass readings are from Exodus and we hear again the story of how Moses erected a desert tent as the templethat housed the covenant promise that the people held with God. And God came down to speak with Moses and to the people in the form of a fiery column of smoke. This column was both guide and protector. The temple eventually traveled to various cities in the Kingdom of Israel, Jericho, Shiloh, and others, until it eventually rested in Jerusalem – where it ceased to travel and became permanent . . . and corrupt.
The Messiah arrived to replace that temple and to tell us that each one of us is a temple– to be kept holy and sacred for the Spirit’s in-dwelling, to be God’s presence in a struggling world. And this is what we agree to as part of our own personal covenant with our creator. That we will trust God and live in accordance with God’s statutes, that we will love God and practice the Greatest Commandment daily, that we will do our best to be People of Hope as we follow The Way that Jesus walked while here on earth. As the psalmist says, I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy.And the sacrifices I offer are the little and big trials which I undergo daily.
We are all apostles sent forth with this message. We are journeying together with a clear map to follow. Again the psalmist, aware that enemies lurk along the roadside, says, Lord, show me your way; lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
The final exhortation sung by the psalmist is, Wait for the Lord, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the Lord!
And the people say . . . Amen.
Adapted from a Favorite written on August 2, 2007.
We know the story of Moses saving his people and leading them to freedom by crossing through the Red Sea that parts for the Hebrews. This miraculous passage has been celebrated and retold endlessly; and for good reason. God loves the faithful so deeply that nature bends to his will; and God still performs miracles for us today. When we lose heart we might remind ourselves of the words Moses spoke to his people: “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and watch God do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you’re never going to see them again.
Hugo Van der Goes: Adoration of the Shepherds
Centuries later God perseveres in watching over those who follow the voice that calls them to unity and peace; and God sends a sign that The LORD walks among us. If only we might take note.
Where are the seas we need parted today so that we might continue our journey to freedom? What are the signs we look for and miss, even though they are in our field of vision? Whose voice do we follow when we are lost or distressed?
Today we might ask, “What or who is it we fear, and why?” When we spend time with this old, familiar story, a new understanding presents itself. Let us open our eyes and ears and hearts so that we might better understand.
Throughout Christmastide, we continue to explore the number of ways God says to us, “Do not be afraid”.
As we move from the Advent to the Christmas season, let us decide to make our hopes tangible, our dreams a prayer for our reality, our faith unwavering and our love secure. Let us cleave to the Creator, follow the Redeemer and rest in the Spirit. This week let us give one another the gift of preparing for the very real promise of eternity.
The Old Testament prepares us for a child born in dangerous circumstances who will later save a nation.
When the daughter of Pharaoh opened the basket, she saw the child, and behold, the boy was crying. And she had pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews’ children.” (NRSV)
The story of the Hebrew captivity in Egypt prepares us to be a people in exile.
The princess opened the basket and saw a baby boy. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.(GNT)
The story of the Hebrew Exodus to a place of promise prepares us to be a pilgrim church.
She opened the basket and looked inside, and there in front of her was a crying baby boy! Moved with pity, she said, “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children.” (CJB)
The story of the foreign princess nurturing a child who will rescue a nation prepares us for God’s promises.
Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the Nile to bathe; her maidens strolled on the bank. She saw the basket-boat floating in the reeds and sent her maid to get it. She opened it and saw the child—a baby crying! Her heart went out to him. She said, “This must be one of the Hebrew babies.”(MSG)
Behold, God uses the marginalized to reveal the false security of the center.
When we reflect on other translations of the Moses story, we understand that God speaks to always with stories of inversion. And we realize that our own story must stand on its head if it is to align with the story of Christ.
So many times we are called to Transfiguration. So many times we are called to Exodus. So many times we meet angels and prophets and yet do not respond. We are so caught up in getting through the day, getting through the night, the week, the month, the year . . . the life.
So often we want to pause at a happy spot to set up a tent to house that moment and hold it. So often we want to wrestle with time until it obeys us. We live in the past, we live in the future, we live anywhere else but the present, re-living, un-living, projecting, transferring.
Jesus goes up to the mountain with two of his beloved apostles to speak with Elijah, Moses and his Father about the work that lies before him. Of course he knows what was expected of him – down to the smallest detail – yet he listens to those who have gone before him. He listens to the wisdom of the ages. And he shares the experience with his friends.
Jesus shares this wisdom and love with us as well. He give to us the opportunity of transfiguration of self. We are not held away from the gift of salvation; rather, we are invited to join Christ’s joy and glory. So when the cloud descends upon us, and we hear the voice from the mist say: This is my Son, listen to him . . . may we have the courage, the wisdom, the light and the joy to do as we are bidden. Because through this experience comes a true knowing of God, a true knowing of self. With this comes an openness to the Word and the Truth and the Light.
As we anticipate our Lenten journey that begins on Ash Wednesday this week, it is good to pause to reflect upon the possibilities offered to us through Transfiguration.
Looking for transfiguration, we begin a new Lenten practice this week. Rather than thinking: “Let us make three tents to contain the joy of God’s wisdom,” let us think instead, “Let us share the joy of God’s great gift of love”.
Tomorrow, the Christ.
To learn more about how the Violins of Hopeprovide an opportunity for learning and reflection through restored instruments that survived the Holocaust, and to see how Cleveland’s MALTZ MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE offers opportunities of transfiguration, click on the images above or visit: http://www.violinsofhopecle.org/
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Moses is a personification of the Old Covenant, Jesus is the New. God entrusts Christ’s honor to those who are meek, merciful and in intimate relationship with him.
The Noontimes 