Twenty Sixth Sunday First Reading Introduction

First Reading Numbers 11:25-29 – 26 Sep 2009

Tonight, in the first reading, we revisit the actual journey of the Israelites, after the exodus…. from Sinai toward (Plains of Moab), the land of canaan.

What we can associate ourselves with from the journey of the Israelite is the repetition of the grumbling of the people (Discontent of the people) that had so characterized the period after the deliverance in Egypt and their arrival in the land of canaan.

Many of the chapters in Numbers repeat and duplicate the same grumblings & discontent recorded in the Exodus narratives.

First, the people complained about the lack of meat and are punished by Fire; but Moses intercedes and saves them.

Second, the prayer of Moses manifested his own grumbling to God. “Why do you treat your servant so badly? Why have I not found favour with you, so that you load on me the weight of all this nation?.... I am not able to carry this nation by myself alone; the weight is too much for me. If this is how you want to deal with me, I would rather you killed me!”…So, at this point, some of Moses’ authority is shared with the 70 elders.

Third, we will hear Joshua, Son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim…. Attempting to influence Moses to stop Eldad & Medad (whose names were chosen to be in the list of the 70 Elders) who were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp… yet the spirit came to rest on them.
We will hear Moses responding to Joshua” Are you jealous for my sake?”

As we revisit this event that occurred a few thousand years before us, we are reminded that we have not changed much from the Israelites of the period of deliverances from Egypt.
Firstly, we resemble the grumbling & discontented Israelites in the lack of meat… in our unfulfilled desires of our human nature.

Secondly, our own prayers are at times like the prayer of Moses expressing our own grumbling & complains…. often the manifestation of our ingratitude to Almighty God.

Thirdly, we sometimes behave like Joshua when we witness the spirit of God came to rest in the “Eldad & Medad” of our times….. manifesting our own jealousy.

As we listen to the reading, let us ask the Holy Spirit to rest in us and guide our path. Let us surrender ourselves totally to the Holy Spirit and let the Holy Spirit leads our lives.