"O, You of Little Faith"

Today's Mass Readings

It is not uncommon for us and for those around us to sometimes feel insecure. Sometimes we feel insecure at other people’s talents, or that someone else will assume the role we play, or simply because we do assess our own capabilities positively. Is insecurity only a psychological abnormality or is it also a spiritual problem? In today’s first reading, Aaron and Miriam complained against Moses because he married from outside the tribes of Israel. On the periphery, this seemed to be a legitimate concern. However, it is the manner is which the dissatisfaction is expressed that the reader feels that they also envied Moses’ pre-eminent position as the Lord’s spokesperson. In the reading, the author does not fail to make the reader aware of Moses’ humility. Moreover, God himself comes to defend Moses against since Moses had proved to be faithful to God and to the Covenant even when the faith of all else had wavered. While Aaron and Miriam were insecure Moses comes across as someone totally secure in his relationship with God others and his own self.

This security of Moses is most obvious in the passage just previous to this one. Along with Moses seventy other elders were appointed as prophets. However, two other young men El’dad and Me’dad also began to prophecy. When other’s complained to Moses about this, Moses’ response demonstrated his sense of security that came from his faith. Moses’ reply to those who complained about El’dad and Me’ded was, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all of the Lord’s people were prophets…” (Numbers 11: 26-30).

In the gospel reading, Jesus chides the disciples for their fear. Their fear according to him come from their lack of faith. We can apply Jesus’ words to our insecurity as well. Insecurity is the result of fear – fear that God did not create us good enough.

The anti-dote for fear is faith. Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.” Only in this confession can we find our security in this life and the next.