Prayer Requests and Gratitudes

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

No Grumbling Allowed

 ~~~ Exodus 16:1-5, 9-15 ~~~ Psalm 78 ~ Matthew 13:1-9 ~~~
 
It is a wonder how Moses managed to put up with the grumbling Israelites.
They were much like spoiled children.

God chose Moses to be their leader.
He protects their sons.
He protects them from the Egyptians.
He allows Moses to part the water so they can escape safely.

Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israel
grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
 
 
There seems to be nothing that can make them happy.
They are constantly wanting more or something different.

At one point they even say they should have just stayed
where they were and lived as slaves.
The Lord, once again takes care of his chosen people.

Then the LORD said to Moses,
“I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.


Of course life is not easy day after day in the desert.
They are enduring a real hardship, but the reward is freedom.
God is taking care of them...he is showing them who he is.
He is proving that he is not the God of
but the God of providential care.

God does respond this day in the desert, but not because of their grumbling.
God responds because he keeps his covenant with his people.

God has a covenant with us too.
God  provided quail and flakes.
This story was probably the inspiration for frosted flakes.
The thought does make me smile.

 
 The gospel today is one we are very familiar...
the parable of the Sower and the Seed.
The Sower...God... goes out to plant the Seed...the Word...
Some of the seeds were eaten by the birds...our material world...
Some were scorched by the sun...our own selfishness...
Some were choked by thorns...our personal sinfulness...

But joyfully some seed fell upon rich fertile soil
and the harvest was abundant.
The harvest was more than abundant it exceeded the expected yield.

Back to the Israelites, not all of them were grumbling and complaining.
Some of them had hearts of fertile soil.
These were the ones who came to recognize
their great gift of friendship with God.

Where does this all leave us?
What can we do to prepare our heart to participate
in the abundant harvest?

Jesus says, 
Whoever has ears ought to hear.
 
Hear that God provided flakes of manna from heaven.
Here that he will never abandon his people.
Hear that today we have his words of spirit and life.
We have his presence in the Eucharist.
He comes down to us from heaven during the Consecration of each Mass.

Blessing come with ears that hear well.

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