Readings: Exodus 32:7-14; Psalm 106; John 5:31-47
In the First Reading of today, we read that while Moses was with God on the mountain, God was telling him exactly what His people were doing and saying below. We are serving a God who is all-seeing and nothing escapes His observation (Psalm 139).
In this story, there are three main characters and they all have something to teach us – God, the people of Israel, who became impatient and turned the works of their hands to their gods and Moses, who interceded for them. The people may have been headstrong and difficult to govern, they may have frustrated Moses but even still, Moses would not allow disaster to happen to them. He even refused to take advantage of the situation. He appealed to God’s promise, goodness, mercy and name.
Today, I would like us to learn two things from the character of God.
- God’s humility:
God is God. Moses was just human and yet God listened as He appealed for mercy. God didn’t dismiss whatever Moses was saying as gibberish. How often do we dismiss people’s ideas, suggestions and opinions, deluding ourselves that we can’t be wrong, we are always right, we know better than everyone?
This is what happened in today’s Gospel. The religious leaders were not ready to accept the message of Jesus despite all the proof. This was simply because they would never admit that they could be wrong. This is a sign of being locked in one’s own prison.
God is all-powerful and all knowing, yet He listened to Moses and He didn’t disregard what Moses had to say. This should be a great lesson for us, a lesson of listening with humility and empathy.
2. God teaches us how to be angry.
To be angry is not a sin. God got angry, as we have seen in today’s text. However, He knows when to stop; He knows when to forgive (Psalm 30:5). The problem with us when we are angry is that we throw away control and we go headlong over the edge. God allowed Himself to be persuaded and He mellowed. This is what St. Paul meant when he said be angry but do not sin (Ephesians 4:26). When anger is unbridled, it is just one alphabet letter away from danger.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on March 31, 2022.