God is Compassionate

 

Do all things without murmuring and arguing.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Monday of 18th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, August 7th, 2023
Texts: Numbers 11:4-15; Psalm 81:12-17; Matthew 14:13-21 

Today’s gospel reading impress on our minds that God is compassionate and also knows about plights. We read, “he had compassion on them, and healed their sick.” Being compassionate, He knew when they were tired and hungry, so He fed them. What we need to do is to seek Him and present ourselves before Him as the people did. Hence, today’s Psalmist says, “O that my people would heed me, that Israel would walk in my ways! At once I would subdue their foes, turn my hand against their enemies.”  

Having a compassionate Saviour, the solution to our problem is no longer complaint. St. Paul  admonishes us thus: “Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world” (Phil. 2:14-15). 

Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families

The solution to our problem is prayer and petition. St. Paul again says, “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6). We should not be like the people of today’s first reading. We read, “The people of Israel said, "O that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for nothing, ... Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, every man at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased.” 

The Israelites complained as if God had never been part of their life before they left Egypt. God provided the  cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic they ate in Egypt. God had always been with them and taking care of them. God is always with us. Their complaint revealed their image of God as a tyrant and unapproachable God. They related with God as if He was a tyrant whom they could not approach. That should not be our way of life; we are not slave. We are to relate with God as a compassionate and approachable God.

Prayer  

God our loving Father, give us the confidence and the grace to live before as children, not as slaves; help us to be aware that you are compassionate and approachable, that we may learn to love and approach You. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke