Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Exodus 19:1-2.9-11.16-20b); Matthew 13:10-17)
To begin to appreciate God, one must recognize his awesomeness.
He is more powerful than anyone or anything humans can imagine. The Book of Exodus indicates God’s awesomeness
by prescribing a two-day purification before meeting with Him. The cleansing serves more to remind them of
their moral failure than to remove any physical impurity.
Awesomeness also marks God’s meeting His people. It takes the shape of a mountain volcano
about to explode. The people tremble as
if they surely will die. They realize
that whatever God has to say must be given all seriousness.
How can God’s awesomeness be reconciled with our experience
of God in Jesus Christ? He came to us as
a teacher using familiar stories. He is present
to us today under the presence of bread and wine. The humbleness of Jesus only disguises his
power. His self-sacrifice has brought
about the defeat of the reign of sin and death.
