Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Moses fled from Egypt after he killed a man. To escape retribution, he went into Midian, located east of the Gulf of Aqaba. He lived there for many years, and married Zipporah, the daughter of Jethro, a priest of Midian. Moses became a shepherd and tended a flock of sheep that belonged to his father-in-law. This job was no easy matter. The shepherd would have to bring the flock to the nearest grass and water and move them to cooler areas as the temperatures on the plain increased. The lower slopes of a mountain or a valley may have provided more opportunity for the sheep to graze. In today's first reading, Moses had to move the flock to the slope of Mt. Horeb, the Mountain of God. He likely was preoccupied with his task when he suddenly witnessed a strange phenomenon; a nearby bramble bush was ungulfed in bire, but did not burn. When he went to investigate, the voice of God called to him, "Moses! Moses!" His answer was simply, "Here I am." God made it clear to Moses that he was on holy ground, and that he was about to send Moses on a mission that would save his people from bondage in Egypt. When Moses asked God, "who am I to lead your people?" God assured Moses that he would be with him. Moses would not have to do this alone.

The account is one that is short and simple, is easily remembered, and probably is one that we have known for years. It seems, however, that the drama of the account hides many deeper messages. If we meditate on this event, and place ourselves in this situation, would we react in the same way that Moses did? He, no doubt, set out with his flock that day anticipating only the normal challenges a shepherd may face. Most of us know what to expect when working in our own occupations. We most likely will not be signaled by a sensational miracle like the burning bush, but we shouldknow that we are constantly in the presence of God. We are truly standing in a holy place wherever we are in God's creation. We can hear the voice of God speaking directly to us if we are open to him and listen. When we discern the presence of God, we need to be able to answer without hesitation, "here I am, Lord!" If we doubt that we are capable of what God asks of us, remember that he has promised to be with us. We are never alone!