Today is an interesting day in history. Sandwiched between the modern holiday of “Pi day” and the traditional holiday of St. Patrick’s Day is the Ides of March. Ides indicates the 15th day in a 31-day month, but for Julius Caesar it was a really bad day! The church scholars have chosen readings for this day that are dark and a warning for us. In the old testament we hear Moses trying to save his people who have reacted to the strains in their lives by taking a moral turn for the worse. God is tempted to blow them up and start again. Moses pleads with God and gets another chance for his people to follow the path for the chosen people.
In the gospel reading Jesus challenges the Jewish Community and their ability to hear his message. It is as relevant today as the day it was spoken by Jesus. Jesus probes us to help us understand what we believe and who do we trust. In days of “fake news” and “alternative truth” Jesus is helping us to figure out who we should listen to. He is challenging the crowd because they hold the scriptures in high esteem but they are not convinced that Jesus’s message is the one foretold in the prophets. The challenge Jesus presents if that if he is supported by the word of God through the bible then you must listen to his word and do what is right. We need to make sure our lives are consistent in thought, word and action. He admonishes the crowd for holding Moses in high esteem but not really listening to his prophetic voice letting all know of the coming of the Christ. In this time of turmoil keeping our faith, our words and our deeds aligned with Jesus will help us to live the lives we are called to lead.
