Stop Complaining and Pray

 Lectionary: 28Reading I

LECTIO:                                          Ex 17:3-7

In those days, in their thirst for water,
the people grumbled against Moses,
saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt?
Was it just to have us die here of thirst 
with our children and our livestock?”
So Moses cried out to the LORD, 
“What shall I do with this people?
a little more and they will stone me!”
The LORD answered Moses,
“Go over there in front of the people, 
along with some of the elders of Israel, 
holding in your hand, as you go, 
the staff with which you struck the river.
I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb.
Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it 
for the people to drink.”
This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.
The place was called Massah and Meribah, 
because the Israelites quarreled there
and tested the LORD, saying,
“Is the LORD in our midst or not?”

STUDIUM:

"Are we there yet?"  
Long trips are trying, especially for people who were enslaved.  This is an unfamiliar situation for them.  Moses had just freed them, thanks to God's use of Moses staff.  The Red Sea had parted--the staff, again.  And here, Moses uses his staff again to strike the rock.  Is it the staff?
It's a wonder, the people don't make an idol of Moses' staff.
Look deeper.
Moses prays.  It is prayer that the Lord listens, too.  The people should pray and not complain.

MEDITATIO:

I get it, Lord.  Pray.  Pray before I do anything, especially when I start complaining.  I should have done that when I was working on that excel spreadsheet.

ORATIO:

Yes, Lord, I know You are in the "midst."  May my Guardian Angel help me to remember to pray, always, especially in difficulties.

CONTEMPLATIO:

May I never doubt You.

Water in the Rock

 

LECTIO:

Ex 17:3-7

In those days, in their thirst for water,
the people grumbled against Moses,
saying, “Why did you ever make us leave Egypt?
Was it just to have us die here of thirst 
with our children and our livestock?”
So Moses cried out to the LORD, 
“What shall I do with this people?
a little more and they will stone me!”
The LORD answered Moses,
“Go over there in front of the people, 
along with some of the elders of Israel, 
holding in your hand, as you go, 
the staff with which you struck the river.
I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb.
Strike the rock, and the water will flow from it 
for the people to drink.”
This Moses did, in the presence of the elders of Israel.
The place was called Massah and Meribah, 
because the Israelites quarreled there
and tested the LORD, saying,
“Is the LORD in our midst or not?”

STUDIUM:

The water situation is so dire that Moses feared he would be stoned! This is similar to situations that I find dire.  There is nothing to nourish me: I find no beauty, no thought provoking words.  I am angry and ask God, where is my water?

MEDITATIO:

I wonder why the people don't turn to God, why are they always blaming Moses?  Is my first response to blame someone, rather than pray?  

ORATIO:

Lord, help me never to doubt your care for me.  If you bring me to a situation you will bring me through it.  May Your Holy Spirit be my water.

CONTEMPLATIO:

May I never question God.  If You can make a rock sprout water, why would I doubt Your power?

RESOLUTIO:

I will paint a rock with the word "Trust," on it, to remember this time when the people didn't trust God and grumbled against Him.  I will use it as a paper weight to hold down "bills."