As a Warning to Us

"I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and all of them were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was the Christ. Yet God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the desert. These things happened as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil things, as they did. Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer. These things happened to them as an example, and they have been written down as a warning to us, upon whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall." (I Cor. 10: 1-6, 10-12)

This Sunday's second reading really spoke to me for some reason. Among the thoughts which came crowding in was the question of just how some people, even in leadership roles in the Church, can ignore or deny St. Paul's admonition to the Corinthians to shape up, renounce evil things or be "struck down in the desert" as were most of those baptized into Moses, who ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink from the rock who was Christ... Do not grumble as some of them did, and suffered death by the destroyer.

The image comes to mind of Moses and Aaron prostrating themselves before the people:  

"Why is the LORD bringing us into this land only to have us fall by the sword? Our wives and little ones will be taken as booty. Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" So they said to one another, "Let us appoint a leader and go back to Egypt." But Moses and Aaron fell prostrate before the whole assembled community of the Israelites; while Joshua, son of Nun, and Caleb, son of Jephunneh, who had been in the party that scouted the land, tore their garments and said to the whole community of the Israelites, "The country which we went through and explored is a fine, rich land." (Numbers 14: 4-7)

In many ways St. Paul was as helpless before the Corinthians as Moses and Aaron were before Israel in the desert. We know that the so-called fleshpots of Egypt whereafter most were longing and crying out, unwilling to trust God's word through His prophet and lawgiver Moses, was a Godless life, a life of sin and self-indulgence. Despite the evidence of the fruits carried back from the Promised Land, the people rebelled. They resigned themselves after their hysteria to staying on for a full generation in the desert and there wasting away. Old ways, tangible or measurable paths, seemed irresistible. Trust in God was not in the equation. 

I guess I am thinking about what is involved in embracing reform of life through Lenten penance. The sophisticates speak loudly against traditional penitential practice and most of the rest bow to the lackluster approach of the present day. The hysteric rebellion of Israel in the desert is not so much our crime as is the unresponsiveness of parishioners described by George Bernanos in his The Diary of a Country Priest. 

Oh for the candidness of those who heard St. Peter preach on Pentecost Day and responded to his call for repentance!

PROPERANTES ADVENTUM DIEI DEI