WHY LORD … WHY?
Memorial of St. Dominic, Priest
My dear encountered couples:
“Why have you brought the Lord’s community into this desert where we and our livestock are dying? Why have you brought us out of Egypt, only to bring us to this wretched place?” Ever felt like that? The people with Moses were very unhappy. And it looked to them like Moses and God were responsible for it. Why was it happening? They wondered. Why were they being put through all this?
There are times in our lives when we might wonder the same thing. We believe that God has a lot to do with where we are in life. That he places us in situations where he wants us, and then watches to see what we will do. When our situations in life become what we feel is unbearable, when we see no reason for what is happening, we can become very tempted to turn to God and give forth with very healthy complaints. “Why, Lord, are you letting this happen? Why aren’t you helping me with this mess I’m in?”
You might have lost your job, someone in the family is very sick and you don’t have health insurance, your car broke down and the part won’t be in until next week — the car insurance won’t pay for a rental. Besides that, the water faucet in the kitchen is leaking even though you just put in a new washer yesterday, and last week. I hate to mention the grass that’s about eight inches tall and the lawn mower won’t start. “Why God, why?”
The Jewish people in the desert aren’t the only ones who asked that question. Frustration visits all of us.
Looking back from our vantage point we know that all the Jews had to do was trust in God and keep trekken. Their promised land was just over the horizon. So is ours. Let us try to learn from their experience. “Why, Lord?” we ask. He answers, “That’s for me to know and you to find out - LATER! Just trust me and keep trekken".
