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CAN YOU SEE HIM?
Ex. 19:16-25
The readings from the Book of Exodus are wonderful, miraculous readings. For example, take the story of the Lord leading the Israelites out of Egypt, crossing the Red Sea. This account is unbelievable
The reading for today carries with it not the majesty nor the royalty of the Lord. The reading carries with it a touch of tenderness. It says, “Moses entered the tent, talked to the Lord and saw the Lord face to face.”
Isn’t that what we all want to experience? When we go to church, or to the Adoration chapel, to pray, we just want to experience the presence of the Lord.
Moses was so blessed. He did not only experience a feeling. He did not only experience a sign from the Lord. The Lord met him face-to-face inside the tent.
You know, entering the tent is not as easy as we imagine it to be. The tent is very sacred for the Jews. When a woman marries a man, that man enters the tent of the woman and then they make love for the night. That is their honeymoon. So, in a way, they say, “This man knew this woman.” When somebody enters a tent, it is actually entering into a love relationship, like entering into the person of your spouse.
That has become the relationship between Moses and God – so intimate. If there are rendezvous between boyfriends and girlfriends; if there are special looks between husbands and wives, we can say that in the same manner, the tent has come to represent the rendezvous between God and man. A tender God who would allow Himself to be loved, who would allow Himself to be seen, who would allow Himself to be touched by men like us.
But that gift was given to Moses, not to all. For the rest of the Israelites, the only thing they could enjoy was some little signs of God’s passing by.
Actually, the Lord also said: “When I pass by, I will cover all your eyes because I don’t like you to see me because when you see me, you will all die.” The same is true with all of us now.
We cannot see God face-to-face but do we have enough faith to believe that the Lord is speaking to us through a person? Do we have enough faith to see God face-to-face in the beauty of the flower? Do we have enough faith to believe that God enters into our soul through the air we breathe every moment? Do we have enough faith to believe that the Lord is with us through the soft breeze that caresses our cheeks? That is God.
Perhaps, God will not show Himself to us face-to-face. But God has other signs. Very tender, very romantic manifestations of His presence for us. And they are as real as ever.
Let us pray that we may have that faith. Faith to recognize the Lord when He passes by. Faith to recognize the Lord in the beauty of the person seated next to us. Persons who, perhaps, will look so ordinary, and yet, are created in the image and likeness of God. Let us see the Lord in every flower. Let us see the Lord in every person. Let us feel the Lord in every breath. Let us feel the Lord everywhere.
CAN YOU SEE HIM?
Ex. 19:16-25
Only Jesus, Always Jesus
