Scripture Reflection: 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, A

Scripture: Exodus 19:2-6. Psalm 100:1-3,5. Romans 5:6-11. Matthew
9:36-10:8. Lectionary #82:

Matthew presents Jesus as a Moses type in his Gospel. We have seen
this in the past week as Jesus goes up the mountain to give his listeners
the Sermon on the Mount. Today in Exodus we see Moses who goes up to Mount
Sinai and receives a great revelation from God. He experiences a theophany
both visual and audial if we look at two traditions that have been redacted
into one in this great chapter 19 of Exodus. The text is exciting as it
states, "Moses went up to God." (Exodus 19:3). The Jewish Study Bible has
this important sentence: "The momentous encounter with God at Sinai is for
the Torah, the defining and seminal moment in Israel's relationship with
God." (page 145). Just as Moses receives the revelation of God for a holy
and priestly nation, Jesus, too explains that revelation in depth by his
Sermon on the Mount.
The Psalm response is perfect for what we have just read or heard and
it has the following verse that develops the response: "Know the Lord is
God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends." Jesus will
tend to the people by curing them and casting out evil from them. For he
had great pity on those gathered around him;they were like sheep without a
shepherd..
St. Paul is at his best in the Epistle to the Romans and chapter five
is very signifcant to his inspired thought and theology. Today's is a
message of hope and salvation. God has reconciled us through sending his
Son. "For, if when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him by the
death of his Son, it is all the more certain that we who have been
reconciled will be saved by his life." (Romans 5:10).
In the Gospel Jesus is extending his love to those who have gathered
to listen to him. His mercy and kindness are seen in the emotional feeling
that he has for the people who were like sheep without a shepherd. He
realizes that he alone cannot attend to all of them so he chooses twelve
apostles to represent the twelve families of Israel and commissions them
with his personal authority to expel evil, to cure disease, to offer
healing to those who search and believe in him. They are to proclaim that
the kingdom of God is at hand and the gifts they have are to be given to
those who are in need of help and healing. Salvation in the New Testament
comes from the word which not only means to save, but also to keep in good
health, conserve, preserve.
As for Jesus saying about the need for laborers (the twelve) to enter
into the harvest of people. we have a parallel in what Rabbi Tarfon said in
m'Abot 2:15: "The day is short; the task is great; the laborers are idle;
the wage is abundant, and the master of the house is urgent." Amen to both
Rabbi Jesus and Rabbi Tarfon.