The Journey with God

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Tuesday, 5th Week of Lent, Year B, March 23rd, 2021
Texts: Num. 21:4-9; Ps. 102: 1-2.15-17;18-20; John 8:21-30
The journey with God is not for the fainthearted but for one who is ready to go extra mile with Him. In today's first reading, the people of Israel had reason to be discouraged. The people of Edom denied them passage through their land, so they had to journey round it. When the promised land was near they had to move far away from it by journeying round the land of Edom. It was a hope dashed. They were to journey in a difficult terrain with hot and burning sand. Hence, they were discouraged and they spoke against God and Moses. Though they had reason to be discouraged, they had no excuse to speak against God and Moses. The journey all along had not been by their power and strength. God had been the one supplying the strength: He provided water when they were thirsty and food when they were hungry. The journey had been His initiative and has proved Himself to them that He is able to lead them. They had no reason to doubt Him now or think that the journey is going to be by their power and strength.  This is a reminder for us to continue trusting in God, even when disappointments set in. In God every disappointment is a blessing; hope never dashed in God. Though the way may be lonely and darkness falls, let us continue journeying on with God in hope and faith. He loves us and He will never abandon us. In the words of the psalm: "My father and mother may abandon me, but the Lord will take care of me" (27:10).
We are not to be like the people of Israel; they became ungrateful to God. It is said, "And the people spoke against God and against Moses, 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food'.” We are to be appreciative of God always. St. Paul says, "Pray constantly; and for all things give thanks; this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus" (1Thes. 5:17-18).
God allowed fiery serpents to bite them to remind them that they had always been protected by Him. It was to show that without Him they were nothing; that without Him they would be naked and exposed to the danger in the desert. It was a reminder that they needed Him. With the dead toll caused by the fiery serpents, they returned to their senses, and said to Moses, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” Moses prayed to the Lord. As a remedy God asked him to make a fiery serpent and hang it on a tree, that whoever was bitten by the serpents might look at it and be healed. This was to teach them to look up to God; it was to teach them not to look down but up; it was to teach them not to look  on themselves but God. This reminds us to always look up to God, not ourselves.
In today's gospel reading, Jesus Christ says, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me." These words of our Lord refer to His death on the Cross and brings to mind the image of the serpent hung in the desert . It is by His death on the Cross that His glory as God shall be made manifest. Looking at the Cross we see the horror of sin and the power of the saving love of God. We are to look at the Cross to see the hatred God has for sin and  His love for us. Looking at the Cross of Christ Jesus, we will be healed of our sins and welcome God’s love.

Lord God, we thank you for who you have been to us, we pray God to heal  us of our iniquities and fill us with His love. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke