july 18 2005 photo

July 20, 2005

Manna Ex 16:1-5, 9-15

The children of Israel set out from Elim, and came into the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure from the land of Egypt.
Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The children of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died at the LORD's hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!"

Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will now rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not. On the sixth day, however, when they prepare what they bring in, let it be twice as much as they gather on the other days."

Then Moses said to Aaron, "Tell the whole congregation of the children of Israel: Present yourselves before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling." When Aaron announced this to the whole assembly of the children of Israel, they turned toward the desert, and lo, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud! The LORD spoke to Moses and said, "I have heard the grumbling of the children of Israel. Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread, so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God."

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp. In the morning a dew lay all about the camp, and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground. On seeing it, the children of Israel asked one another, "What is this?"
for they did not know what it was. But Moses told them, "This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat."

The Lord provides all that I need. There is no reason to worry about the future. If I keep faith and follow God's way all will be given. The desert journey of the Israelites is in this reading two months long. My desert journeys weave in and out of the fabric of my life with trials and changes at times coming when I least expect them. I see myself as having entered a desert journey again with having left a job and looking for a ministry that will be the proper sustenence for my soul journey and complement the mission and journey of my fellow Sisters. What I think I have planned and what God has in store for me may be totally different. I am keeping my mind and heart open and active. I pray this morning for the eyes of faith as I enter this day that the Spirit of hope and wisdom may guide my steps.