"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a Mustard Seed"

Today's Mass Readings

How is religion different from faith and spirituality? Faith is the human belief in God, spirituality is the private expression of it and religion is the organized expression of human faith in God. Today’s readings give us an indication of the beginnings of the first organization of Israel’s faith in God. As part of the organized religion of the people of Israel, a designated place is assigned as the “meeting tent.” This is sacred space. This is the place where the people can meet God (albeit through Moses) and this is the place from which God reveals himself. In fact, since the revelation to Moses at the burning bush, today’ revelation is the most descriptive of God. Please reflect slowly on revelation of God to the people of Israel: “The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity,
continuing his kindness for a thousand generations,
and forgiving wickedness and crime and sin;
yet not declaring the guilty guiltless,
but punishing children and grandchildren
to the third and fourth generation for their fathers’ wickedness!”

God was known for his two qualities in the Old Testament: hessed (fidelity) and emet (steadfast love). These two qualities come from God’s self-revelation in today’s first reading. Fidelity and steadfast love is the basis of any relationship. God chose to make a Covenant with the people of Israel. This Covenant based on fidelity and steadfast love was the basis of Israel’s faith, spirituality and religion.

Two points for further consideration. First, God’s Covenantal fidelity and love demands a human response – a response of fidelity and love. Having entered into a Covenant with God and then being unfaithful is what is termed “sin” in the above reading. And as we all know, sin has consequences. Second, in spite of human infidelity, God continues to be faithful and loving. In Christ, God made an everlasting Covenant with us.

The moment our faith, our spirituality and our religion fail to be an expression of our fidelity and love for God, it looses its meaning. Let us make a spontaneous act of faith today in the words of the Psalm:

The Lord is kind and merciful.

The LORD secures justice
and the rights of all the oppressed.
He has made known his ways to Moses,
and his deeds to the children of Israel.

Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.

Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.

As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
(Ps 103)