With their patience worn out by the journey,
the people complained against God and Moses,
“Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!”
Saint Paul introduced "the wisdom of the cross" to our vocabulary. On this exultant feast, we do well to reflect on the foolishness that seems so natural, and wisdom that comes from God.
Somewhere in his dense, inspiring book, Lonergan and Spirituality, Towards a Spiritual Integration, Tad Dunne, S.J. suggests that "common sense" remembers only the recent past and has little sense of history. Common sense, "This is they way it's always been!" though it's not been this way very long at all.
For instance, common sense might say that women should stay at home to raise the children while men go to work and provide for the family. Hasn't it always been that way? Didn't God intend that to be the natural obvious way? It's just common sense!
But this invaluable common sense doesn't remember that, until the Industrial Revolution, men, women, and children worked together on the farm or in a cottage industry. They were first separated as each found a position in the factory.
After much suffering, socialism, unions and the Labor Movement demanded a forty-hour work week with a "living wage" for (some) workers. It also forced children out of the factories and into schools, while (some) women were relegated to maintaining the home and hearth. Women entered workplaces on an "industrial scale" first as nurses and teachers, and then as secretaries. There is still resistance to nurses' and teachers' organizing, and they have yet to receive equal pay for equal work -- which should be "common sense."
I think of Father Dunne's remarks about common sense when I hear today's first reading and the Hebrews' complaint about their sojourn in the Sinai peninsula. Common sense would return to Egypt and its fleshpots. They might have said, "We came out to worship God. Okay, that's done. Now let's go home!"
The LORD, whose wisdom sees far beyond the horizon, would not permit their return to slavery.
As the Church remains in the Egypt of this world we remember Saint Paul's wisdom of the cross and its Exaltation. We rarely know where the Lord is leading us; we only know we must keep our eyes fixed on the cross, and regard common sense -- the "wisdom of this world" -- skeptically.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.