The readings suggest that doing God’s work is of paramount importance. There are several parallels between Moses and Jesus. They were persecuted at birth by the reigning monarch and later on when they were leading their people to the one true God. Moses’ unwavering faith carried the Israelites to the land of milk and honey after overcoming many challenges. His steadfastness, conviction and faith, coupled with his sheer obedience to our eternal Father’s calling was a foundation upon which we are called to build on.
However, we are not without divine help. The Psalmist exhorts us to listen to the call from above and to turn to our caring Father even when we are put to the test.
In the second reading, there is a reminder of the need to “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col 3:2). The clergy as well as nuns take on a vow of celibacy to dedicate themselves completely to doing His work. They are not to be bogged down or distracted by family life. However, the aforesaid calling is an exceptional calling. The importance of family life for the lay people cannot be stressed enough. In Genesis, Adam is given a mate for life for man and woman are meant for each other (Gen 2:18, Gen 2:24,1Cor 11:3).
St Paul gives an example of how distractions can derail our calling to do God’s work. When the prompting comes, it comes with authority from above and we must not turn a deaf ear to this calling. Sometimes we too need much convincing, like a physical sign to be convinced that it is a calling of authority. When we are rooted in our faith such conviction becomes rather insignificant. “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29b).
Moses had to overcome many challenges. He took on the pharaoh and freed his fellow Israelites. He even had to fend off the naysayers and the disgruntled within his community who wanted instant gratification. Each time Moses turned to the Lord whose guidance was the key that guided Moses in overcoming the challenges. Our magnanimous Father gave more than what was required.
Do we have a similar conviction to refute those who question our faith? Can we show them examples from the Holy Book to state our case convincingly? Are we confident enough to persuade the cynics that our faith will lead us to everlasting life? Will we take the broad gate or the narrow gate?
At the end of the day, the work that we do should result in an increase in our faith with a resounding “He must increase, I must decrease” (John 3:30) being the net result.