Reflection:
Moses had a very special place in God’s eyes. It is said that he could speak face to face with the Divine. A privilege that no other had until the New Testament. And for many traditions including Islam, Moses is still given a prominent and respectful position even after thousands of years. So, we hear in this first reading that Miriam begins speaking against Moses. It seems she felt she wasn’t getting what she thought should be a fair voice with God. Her critical nature gets the best of her, and she begins criticizing God’s unique friend not honoring the relationship Moses and God held. Simply put, you don’t want to criticize God. That is a mistake that is made too frequently in today’s world.
When things don’t go the way we want them to, when suddenly it feels like the forces of the universe are opposing us, do we actually listen and discern? I find a serious lack of pausing and discerning. I find too many people getting out their hammers and sledgehammers to pound their point home. Thought-provoking to me, Mirriam tried that, and for a time, she was ostracized from the community.
The Gospel is that popular story of the disciples in the boat, heading across the sea in the middle of the night. Catching sight of Jesus coming to them, they are frightened. Their first interpretation is that it is a ghost. Do you find it strange that no one in the boat is quick to recognize Jesus? After Jesus announces himself, Peter, of course, decides to get out of the boat and walk toward Jesus. Some scholars question the historicity of this scene in that Jesus didn’t go around doing supernatural things merely to show that he transcends the physical world. Yet when this scene is interpreted in light of the early Christian community, it is a perfect image. It is Peter trying to lead a church that is being tossed around by all kinds of waves and torrents and as Peter tries to keep his eyes fixed on Jesus, they all discover that they haven’t been left behind and that Jesus isn’t that far away. Stretching out his hand, he is there.
I join today with thousands of people in roles of leadership who on a daily basis deal with the heart of these two readings. How many of us are frequently dealing with voices that choose to see negativism and complaints? I learned a long time ago those who spend their days looking down into a dark abyss will find themselves in a very dark place. Jesus’ answer to Peter was to get out of the boat and look at me. Jesus’ ascension left the disciples not looking down, but looking up.
