LORD GOD – I AM: MERCIFUL AND JUST

Today we read of God’s call of Moses in the wilderness, through the bush that was burning but not consumed. The ‘…angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed…’ It is important to remark that Moses was told, ‘Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground’. (cf. Ex 3:1-8a, 13-15).  

Beloved People of God, our Lord and God is I AM. He remains the same. The unchangeable Changer. He is merciful. He is love. He is compassionate and gracious. He is also just. This season of Lent offers us, the opportunity to bear abundant fruits – fruits of repentance, obedience, prayer, almsgiving, of faith, hope and love, of kindness, truth and holiness etc. We bear fruit of generosity in charity which is love in action.

As we remain in the wilderness, God calls us through the bush that is burning but not consumed. May the fire of his compassion and graciousness burn the bitterness of sin and evil within and around us that we may never be consumed by his wrath or destroyed by the guilt of our iniquity. As we take off the sandals on our feet and approach God in humble vulnerability, may he open the eyes and the ears of our mind to know him as he truly is, compassionate and gracious. As we all drink from the same spiritual Rock, that is Christ, may we never be numbered among those that God is not pleased with. May we neither desire evil nor grumble so as not to be destroyed. Instead, may we learn from the things that are written down for our instruction.  ‘…Let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall’ (cf. 1 Cor 10:1-6, 10-12).

Fr. Ted