15 March 2018
Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent
In today’s first reading, a wonderful literary device is used to establish God’s providential love for His people. After the Exodus and the time in the Sinai desert, the Jewish people turn to some local nonsense which usually involved idolatry and subsequent bad behavior. God speaks to Moses and tells him that He has had it with this group. Moses argues with God and reminds him of His covenant. God relents and continues to shower mercy and guidance through His prophets towards his errant people. The message for the Jewish people, and for us, is that we always must be reminded of our original commitment and stay on track. In this passage, Moses “reminds” God but the real message goes to the people, that love and appreciation are the better response to God’s good gifts than rejection of that covenant of love. Here again the Church provides us with readings during Lent to help us examine our choices and consider their consequences.