Finding Life in the midst of chaos (Numbers 20: 1-13; Matthew 20: 29-34)

FRI MP Reflection 06/25/20 (Numbers 20: 1-13; Matthew 20: 29-34)

“There was no water for the congregation” That was the problem. It is a major problem not to underestimate. Water is life giving, total absence of it is like a death sentence. In the face of such trouble, how do we react? Do we pass on the blame to someone? That’s what happened to Israelites in the desert. People quarreled with Moses: “Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into the wilderness to die?” This is very human. It is our condition: We pass the blame, because somehow it feels like if we are the innocent victims, it is soothing to know who is responsible, as if that would take the problem/ calamity away. We all know that blame does not fix anything, but from a very young age, all humans love it nevertheless. We scapegoat, someone has to take the blame. Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome by Nero.

Almost every warring faction puts blame on the other side, and both have different ideas of how things could be better. Jesus proposes a different solution, [this is me paraphrasing]: “Look up to me, don’t be distracted by all that is going on around you (Jesus once told Peter walking on water), Hey don’t let it drown you, have faith, pray because prayer is the breath of human existence. Don’t be disappointed by the illusion of the perfect quality of human society, in it, there are roots of a sick society. Just look to me for healing.” How do we face God if we haven’t learned how to face ourselves? Face your own human condition: I am not perfect, like many other people, I still have reactionary fears, false ambitions but the prospect of becoming a new man tramples all that. This isn’t to say becoming a better man, but becoming a new man, with new habits, new perspective on life. That’s being in the center: Kingdom thinking! Jesus often talked about a change of heart, a gentle but strong love. We are destined to become like the life of Jesus. I love what St Francis de Sales said: “As for me, I know no other perfection than to love God with all my heart. And if we truly love God, we try to procure his glory by directing our whole being and our every action to that end, and by making every effort to attract our neighbors to Christ’s service and love. Now that’s something to strive for. I admit that the concerns of the world sometimes choke the word of God in me.

The troubles I hear and read in the news get under my skin, but to use the words of Henri Nouwen: “So behind the curtain of our painful symptoms, there is something great to be seen.” Whether it is the picture of sufferings of saints gone before us, rejoicing in heaven at the face of Him in whose image we are shaped. A people always growing towards transforming into Christ likeness. Moses was on such journey as he led Israelites. But even him, when faced with heavy criticism and constant quarreling, he moved away from the center and stopped trusting God.

Unfortunately, too often we move from the center, and we know how unpleasant that place can be. We are not alert because away from the center is not where we were meant to be; we are bombarded with non-essential things and let to believe that they are the most important. This affects us a lot. We should cut its supply since they are not helpful to a believer. We are like Israelites seeking water/ life where it is not found. Life is found in Jesus. When you find Jesus, you have found eternal life. There is no thirst anymore, no blindness because Jesus cures it. Let us join in the words of the blind man and say to Jesus: “Have mercy on me, Son of David, Have compassion on us!”

Amen