The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross | Thursday 14 September 2023

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Today is Thursday 14 September, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, in the 23rd week of Ordinary time.

Jon Guerra sings, ‘The Lord Will Provide’.

In some way or another, the Lord will provide

It may not be my way

It may not be your way, but He will

At some time or another, the Lord will provide

It may not be my time

It may not be your time; we will

Trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide

Yes we'll trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide

Trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide

Yes we'll trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide

And the drive was almost over

And our love was almost gone

But the veins of the blood

Of the love between us

Held up

For the ways of God are higher

And the ways of God are small

And the days of men amount to

Nothing at all

Trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide

Yes we'll trust in the Lord, and the Lord will provide

Today’s reading is from the Book of Numbers.

Numbers 21:4-9

From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.’ Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.’ So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

In today's reading, the people are very cross with God and with Moses. Were you able to grasp what they were so cross about? Notice how you respond to their complaints…

Did you notice how God reacted? What did you feel about that?

Now listen as the passage is read a second time. Is there anything that really stands out and speaks to you today? Could this be a message from God?

Finally, see if you can bring together all your thoughts and feelings that came to you during this time of prayer. Try and bring them to Jesus or to the God who looks so lovingly upon you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.