THE WORD AND THE SAINT
Exodus 40:16-21,34-38; Mt 13: 47-53
Moses did exactly as the Lord had directed him. The first reading begins thus. And that is what set Moses apart! Joshua would soon be following suit. We are constantly being judged, of course, not by God and not even by the world, but by our very actions and our choices. We are set apart as people of God but that is no guarantee that we will remain so forever. Just as we were set apart we could be set aside too, again depending on our choices and our readiness to do as God directs!
The Lord is present among us, as pointed out by the tabernacle that Moses made. It is a clear message sent to the people and to us: God dwells amidst us; God is with us. God shares our lives. We are set apart to do exactly as God directs. Ignatius of Loyola whom we remember today, was a perfect example of this way of life, one who did everything esactly as God directed him!
Ignatius, in the thirtieth year of his life, came to know the Lord at a closer communion and fell so madly in love with the Lord that he was ready to do anything "FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF GOD" (ad maiorem Dei gloriam). A holy fixation that led to the great movement of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and so many other movements related to that; a strong determination to do what the Lord wants and for the greater glory of the Lord. The emphasis that he laid in his teaching on "discernment" was precisely to ensure we do as God directs us... when we do it, we realise that we are set part; and if and when we fail, we would be consequentially set aside! Do we wish to be in the net? Or to be cast away?