Finding Meaning In A Small Piece Of Scripture's Expanse

In the sixth chapter of Exodus, verse 12, we find Moses questioning God’s choice of him to speak with Pharoah. Moses is asking why Pharoah should listen to him (he states that he is a poor speaker) when even the Israelites wouldn’t listen to him.  There are several points I find interesting in this one little line of the great expanse of scripture.

            First of all, Moses is conversing with God.  When is the last time any of you conversed with God?  I know that I haven’t (in the fashion it is presented here) ever been in this unique situation.  Maybe I should be worried.  Regardless, I think we sometimes run the risk of discounting these types of interactions with God because we might not be able to relate. 

We are challenged, especially in our age of high tech realism, to dive deeper into passages such as these to find the meanings behind them.  If we cannot relate on the face of it, then we search for that realm deep within us that is directly connected to God so that we can see the words and meanings in a different light.

            Second, Moses says that the Israelites would not listen to him.  Continually through the religious, social and political histories of mankind, we find the same stories repeated.  Natural disasters strike an area, destroying property, and people eventually build in the same area again.  Atrocities take place; and eventually, the brutal realities fade into the shadows to rise again in another form or fashion.  Prophets answer the call of God to guide His people back to Himself, and they are met with ridicule and rebellion. 

We are challenged to fight the despair of hopelessness, learn from those who have gone before us, highlight our principles and values, and cling to them in the face of opposition, which will surely arise.

            Third, Moses questions his own abilities to be God’s messenger.  He clearly believes that his poor speaking talents will inhibit God’s plan.  He does not feel he is up to the task.  He does not feel worthy.

            The same can hold true for us today.  I know that many times I do not feel worthy to write this article.  I don’t feel worthy to receive Christ in the Holy Eucharist.  I don’t feel worthy…. We are challenged to remember that all of us, through our Baptism, are called to be priests, prophets and kings.  We are called to minister to others, to proclaim God to the world and to accept our seat, through God’s Grace, in the hallowed halls of the kingdom of God.

            It is not what Moses did to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land – just as it is not what we do to lead others to that same Promised Land. It is about the extent to which we allow God to work through us, unworthy though we may be, to reveal Himself to those who might not otherwise come to know Him.

            None of us, not even one of us, is exempt from this commissioning.  We are called by God through the Sacraments to be executors (not executioners) of Holy Change in our environments.

            This is a lifelong journey.  Moses wandered around in the desert for 40 years trying to find the destination; and so we must model not Moses’ exemplory navigational skills (I mean, really), but his tenacity of faith and devotion to God – who he had to have been convinced was guiding him forward.  Let us pray for this same tenacity of faith in our own journeys toward that same sacred land.