Introduction
My dear friends, the first reading today is very interesting. It reflects on what can happen if God allows his wrath on us; the love of Moses – the unselfish and servant leader of his people – and the power of intercessory prayer.
The Failure of the Israelites
God was angry with the people of Israel because they were quick to forget the good deeds of the Lord. Due to lack of patience and out of fear for a long absence of Moses from the camp whom they trusted as their visible leader, they lost hope and turned astray. They demonstrated that they never trusted God as such because of his invisibility even after his miraculous delivery across the Red Sea through his servant Moses. They never knew God. When they couldn’t see Moses, they felt abandoned. And looking for a visible protector like Moses, they fashioned a golden calf and worshipped it. They exchanged God’s glory to the calf and attributed him the honor of leading them out of Egypt. This angered God because it is against his very first commandment: ‘thou shall have no other God but me’ (Ex 20:3).
The Fear of the Unknown
The Israelites totally disobeyed God by going contrary to the commandment of God which is a direct attack on him, the rejection of his authority and supremacy. Such behavior may not be far from us when we live in fear of the unknown which makes us attach ourselves to the things we have above God. It makes us repose trust on any person or thing; seek protection or security from any person or thing, when we place our hope and trust on our authority, wealth, or property. These things fade away and do not last. Their visible presence cannot solve the problem of the zero hour. They are perishable. When they fail us, we become hopeless and that can lead to a lot of mistakes and even loss of life.
We must not allow what happened to the Israelites to happen to us. Our visible achievements or property must not be in charge of us. We shall make this mistake when we lack patience and live in fear of the unknown. We must live above board and put God first in our lives. No wonder the Scripture says: Blessed is he who puts his trust in the Lord; he shall be like the tree planted besides flowing waters and be ever green (cf Jeremiah 17: 7-8). We must trust the Lord and only he can save us.
The Consequences of Disobedience
The magnitude of God’s anger for the failure of the Israelites and their act of disobedience to the first commandment is shown in his instruction to Moses. Now, therefore, he said: “Let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them, and I may consume them” (Ex 32:10). God planned to wipe them out. The consequence would have been disastrous if not for the intervention of Moses.
Moses: An Intercessor and Servant Leader
Moses was loved by God. He was special to the people of Israel and unselfish even when God planned to establish a covenant with him. He never thought of himself but the people. He displayed the highest form of humility and sincerity as a servant leader. He prayed to God that wiping the people away would not only violate the purpose of his delivering them from the hands of their oppressors but also break his faithful promise to their fathers – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The powerful prayer and intercession of Moses calmed the anger of God. He listened to Moses, changed his mind, and allowed them to live.
The leading figure of Moses is equal to none and that is what our society needs today. We need a leader who knows God and fears Him; someone who is concerned about the salvation and common good of the people; someone who loves his brothers and sisters and intercedes for his people. Can you and I aspire to be the Moses of our time?
May the Lenten season be fruitful to all!
