17th Week in Ord. Time, Monday – 31st July 2023 – Exodus 32,15-24. 30-34; Mt 13,31-35
Great Mediator
In the first reading, while Moses is on the mountain of the Lord experiencing the revelation of God, the Israelites under the leadership of Aaron form a golden calf to represent God. When Moses and Joshua descended, they saw the people worshipping the golden calf. Moses, in anger, throws down the tablets of stone on which God had written the commandments. Moses was angry (32,19.22), but it was anger tempered by love. The breaking of the stone tablets was a symbolic act: Israelites had broken the covenant and would have to face discipline. But before he dealt with the people, Moses confronted Aaron, for the privilege of leadership brings with it both responsibility and accountability. Aaron very bluntly passed on the responsibility to the people that they were prone to evil. Moses then destroyed the shameful golden calf by burning it and grinding the gold to powder. After angrily denouncing the people’s sin and Aaron’s disregard for God’s commands, Moses promises to go back up the mountain and plead for mercy from the God who has been transgressed. He once again acts as a great mediator on behalf of his people.
