RBWords

[Exodus 3:1-6, 9-12 and Matthew 11:25-27]

     But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?"  He answered, "I will be with you..." [Exodus]

     Today and tomorrow the first scripture for Mass recounts one of the most significant events in the Old Testament: the encounter between God and Moses at the burning bush.  (We elders and those who like to watch biblical movie epics can recall Cecil B. DeMille's THE TEN COMMANDMENTS in which Moses [Charlton Heston] approaches the burning bush!)  

     The significance contained in today's portion is in Moses' feeling of unworthiness for a task in which he must confront one of the most politically important people in the world and demand the release of the children of Israel.  God says simply, "I will be with you!" and brushes aside all of Moses' protests.  I remember my own worries about leaving my carefully crafted plans for my own future to join a religious order of which I had only a superficial understanding.  But the "call" - the burning bush - would not leave me alone.  As a pastor, approaching a parishioner with the possibility that he or she might be a good priest or sister or deacon or other minister, I have received the same response:  "I don't feel worthy."  God's promise to Moses - "I will be with you..." - has been constant in my own life even if, at times, I have not been "worthy" of the call.  My protests have been swept aside.  

     Tomorrow, we will see the significance of the encounter in terms of knowing who God is!  Stay tuned!  AMEN