MOSES TO THE LORD, EXODUS 34:9

My impression is that the Holy Trinity Sunday is the least favorite homily for pastors. I will join the angels and fear to tread there. So let us look at the first reading, where Moses is pleading with God.

The people have wandered through the wilderness for forty years while the generation has died that feared that an invasion of the promised land would fail. A new generation has received the ten commandments but they turned out to be not a whole lot better than their parents; while Moses is up the mountain receiving God’s word, they cajole Aaron into making an idol. When confronted by Moses, Aaron shifts blame onto the people; being Aaron’s brother perhaps leads Moses to overlook Aaron’s sin. Moses loses his temper and destroys the tablets, the calf and the calf-worshipers.

Some days later, the Lord orders Moses to cut two more tablets. Moses asks the Lord if he can see God’s glory. Moses is denied but the Lord appears as a cloud before which Moses bows to the ground and makes his prayer.

So what does this story say for us today?

First, we need always to pray for the Lord to “come along in our company.” Or rather, we need to ask if we are traveling in God’s. This requires a bit of time, a bit of quiet and an open heart.

Second, we need to acknowledge that we are stiff-necked. Like Aaron we like to shift blame away from ourselves and onto others, citing “social sin”, an evil system and pretty much anything other than ourselves.

The calf arose on its own when Aaron melted the people’s gold trinkets. Think about that! What an image! A false god arising on its own from society’s riches! Jesus never had a problem with people making money or being rich but he warned that wealth would shrink the heart of its possessor. He had a big concern for a miserly heart that refused to share when the need was so painfully obvious.

Today the pain is so so obvious.

Please support the work of the Church in Western Washington by giving to the Annual Catholic Appeal! The Appeal brings some equality to all members of the Church in Western Washington. Each faith community has a goal set primarily according to its Sunday collections. In other words, according to its means.

The services it provides to parishes, however, are given according to their needs. These services are of three sorts:

Services that benefit all but which no single parish could undertake. This is mainly the recruitment and training of priests, including their medical care and retirement.

Ministries which no parish can undertake, such as the hospital and jail ministries, the training of catechists, and the Catholic Youth Organization

Administrative support that provide essential expertise for keeping parishes running smoothly. These include facilities and personnel management, insurance for liability as well as staff health insurance, and the Safe Environment program to protect children and vulnerable adults.

You can support the work of the Church of Western Washington by clicking on this link: Annual Catholic Appeal. If you have questions about the Appeal, please email me at jvrussell85@gmail.com

During this Covid-19 crisis, we can best love each other by honoring the Governor’s “Stay Home / Stay Healthy” order. In Washington, doctors’ and dentists’ offices are joining stores, state parks, golf courses and other businesses as we begin to reopen. This is not a good time to relax, however! In Washington, 67% of confirmed cases are of people under 60 but 91% of deaths are of people 60 or older. Respect the social distancing rules until we defeat this disease!

You can make a contribution online at st-therese.org and clicking on the “Donate Now” button or use the Push-Pay app on your phone. If you are giving through automatic transfers, please go onto your phone and download the Push-Pay app. When you get to “search for your church” enter “saint therese.” Be sure to send a note to Diane Figaro at paa@st-therese.cc so she can discontinue your automatic transfer through our current agent. Of course, checks are also accepted. The mailing address of the office is 3416 E. Marion Street, Seattle, 98122.

Please support the work of St Vincent de Paul during these trying times! Directions for giving to St Vincents is in their bulletin article and on the St Therese website.