Monday of the 18th week in ordinary time year A
Numbers 11:4b-15 Mat. 14:13-21
Theme: Be grateful
In the 1st reading of today from the Book of Numbers, we see the people of Israel complaining to Moses that they are tired of the Manna sent to them by God, and they want to eat meat. One of the interesting things about the people of Israel is the fact that when they are faced with any form of challenge or difficulty on their way to the promised land, they begin to complain and grumble against Moses. They forget completely how God has led them from the very beginning of their journey to this point.
God has done a lot for them from the very beginning, and one would expect that all that should strengthen their faith and trust in God, knowing fully well that he cannot forsake them at this point. Unfortunately, that is not the situation. Each time they are face with difficulties on this their journey, after their grumbling and the intercession of Moses, God will provide a solution and their grumbling will stop. After some time, they will come up with something else and forget all that God has done already for them in the past. Their attitude is that of somebody who is ungrateful and should not be found amongst us as children of God.
The situation presented to us in todays 1st reading from the Book of Numbers, is it any different from what we see today in our lives as individuals and in the world at large? In our lives as individuals, are we grateful and appreciative of what God has done for us since we were born? Especially if things are not going well right now in our lives? Do we sincerely appreciate what God has done for us in the past and believe that whatever situation we are presently passing through in our lives will soon come to an end? These are important questions that we need to reflect on today in our life as individuals.
However, I want us to always remember that if we are alive, there is still hope, it simply means that God is not yet done with us. When we are grateful for the one, he has done for us already, it will attract more of his blessings to us. Forgetting the past because of the present, is a very bad way to deal with God and one another. May the Lord always grant us a grateful heart, in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.