We
have an interesting first reading today. Here we see Moses
meeting with the leaders of the house of Israel and relating God’s message that
they are to go to the king of Egypt and
tell him to let those Israelites confined to forced labor go free. But he
warns them that the king will not allow
this unless he is forced. And so God
will stretch out his hand, therefore and smite Egypt by doing all kinds of
wondrous deeds there (including the death of Pharaoh’s own son – and then
his army who are in pursuit of the fleeing Israelites).
The age old question
immediately surfaces: how can a loving God kill, especially children, and also
an army of men? Actually the age old answer is sometimes overlooked: God is not
a murderer. The deaths resulted in the decision made not by God, but by the
king of Egypt; he truly did bring upon himself the “smiting” (if you will) that
God is often blamed for, in a casual and even wishful-thinking kind of perusing
the Scripture by those who are out to dethrone the God of Love!
No, God is Love and can only
love, and his morality is always pure, and a guideline for love; but it has
consequences that must be played out to keep its system certain and verifiable.
It is men and women who force the hand
of God to do things that he is heartbroken over doing!
The gospel passage is the
classic invitation to take all our cares and burdens and place them at any time
at the feet of our Lord, who understands, who has lived a human life, who knows
exactly how to supply for our lack, our want, and our need – even when the
faulty thinking of others infringes upon our rights, and it seems that we are
being “smited” in any number of ways! We must take courage, for the meek and
humble heart of Christ will always be refreshment and a source of new energy in
our daily battle in this vale of tears!
Come
to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the
Lord.
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