Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Moses before the Burning Bush” 
by Domenico Feti, 1613-14

Readings for Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible[2]

Commentary:

Reading 1: Exodus 3:1-6, 9-12

Commentary on Ex 3:1-6, 9-12

Moses learns of God’s will for him. This passage describes his call from God on Mount Horeb. The image of the burning bush attracted him, and God calls the reluctant servant to return to Egypt as his instrument. The purpose, Moses is told, is to lead the “Children of Israel out of Egypt.” Moses’ response demonstrates the humility generally associated with God’s chosen servants.

CCC: Ex 3:1-10 2575; Ex 3:5-6 208; Ex 3:5 2777; Ex 3:6 205, 207; Ex 3:7-10 1867

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:1b-2, 3-4, 6-7

R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.

Commentary on Ps 103:1b-2, 3-4, 6-7

This psalm of thanksgiving recalls God’s saving works. Three of God’s blessings are enumerated: forgiveness, healing, and salvation. The third strophe links the verse to the role of Moses in salvation history.

CCC: Ps 103 304

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Gospel: Matthew 11:25-27

Commentary on Mt 11:25-27

Jesus has just completed a fairly scathing criticism of the people in the places he has been and performed miracles; yet many have not accepted him as the Messiah. He now concludes this section on a more joyous note as he reflects that, while the Scribes and Pharisees (“the wise and learned”) have not understood who he is, those with simple faith have accepted him freely. “Jesus can speak of all mysteries because he is the Son and there is perfect reciprocity of knowledge between him and the Father; what has been handed over to him is revealed only to those whom he wishes.”[4]

CCC: Mt 11:25-27 2603, 2779; Mt 11:25-26 2701; Mt 11:25 153, 544, 2785; Mt 11:27 151, 240, 443, 473

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Reflection:

It is much more difficult to accept that God has spoken to you and directs you when He asks you to do something you really don’t want to do.  It has always been this way as scripture clearly shows.  In the Exodus reading God calls Moses to free the Children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt.  That is a noble task and one for which Moses is uniquely qualified, having been brought up by Pharaoh’s sister.  Yet does he want to give up being a herdsman and go be the hero of his people?  The reply from Moses was “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh…?”  He knew and did not want to go.

In the Gospel, Jesus is actually praying a lament.  The learned ones, the Scribes and Pharisees have rejected the notion that God has answered their prayer in sending the Messiah.  Jesus does not fit their notion of what God should have sent.  Jesus is calling them to do things they do not want to do – set aside their authority, love one another.  These are not the ideals that seem to serve what these religious leaders have worked to achieve.

God does not always tell us what we want to hear.  He tells us what is right and true, which is frequently just what we don’t want to hear.  It is for this reason it is so important that we pray for discernment.  If we speak with God in prayer and get to know him through his Holy Word which he left for us; if we have strengthened our own grace in the sacraments; we will hear his voice and come to understand where he sends us.

It is a difficult message we receive today only because God calls us out of our comfort zones.  The path our Savior walked is filled with bumps and is not easy.  As the Lord pointed out – the Narrow Gate is the one we are called to enter and it is hard.

Pax

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[1] The picture is “Moses before the Burning Bush” by Domenico Feti, 1613-14

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

[4] See NAB footnote on Matthew 11:25ff