Madly in Love

Making sacrifices out of love

Exodus 33:7-11; 34:28

The tent, which was called the meeting tent, Moses used to pitch at some distance away, outside the camp. Anyone who wished to consult the LORD would go to this meeting tent outside the camp. Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise and stand at the entrance of their own tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses. On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and worship at the entrance of their own tents. The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one man speaks to another. Moses would then return to the camp, but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun, would not move out of the tent.

So Moses stayed there with the LORD for forty days and forty nights, without eating any food or drinking any water, and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

            It’s amazing what we’ll endure and sacrifice when we love something or love someone.  Parents gladly give up their own comfort so their children are happy: working two jobs, giving up their own food and drink, moving to another country.  Navy SEALS make inhuman sacrifices to serve their country.  Have you heard of Hell Week?  That’s where SEAL candidates participate in 5 and a half days of continuous training, sleeping only 4 hours the whole week, running more than 200 miles and physical exercise for more than 20 hours a day.  They endure all that because they love their country.  I remember as a young boy I wanted to show my love for Jesus, and I wondered, “What sacrifice can I make to show Jesus my love?”  And the thought occurred to me, “I should become a celibate priest.”  To this day I wonder: why didn’t I give up chocolate for Jesus??  That’s hard, too!  But when you really love someone, no sacrifice seems too great.

            In today’s Exodus reading, we see that Moses, too, is willing to make sacrifices out of love for God.  We read: “Moses stayed there with the Lord for forty days and forty nights, without eating any food or drinking any water.”  Moses didn’t go through Hell Week, he went through six weeks of hell!  Just as impressive, though, was Joshua, who, it says, “Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun, would not move out of the tent.”  Little Joshua didn’t want to play video games or go to Disney World, or watch Sponge Bob, Square Pants; he gladly gave that up to be with God in the meeting tent.  You see, when you love something, you make amazing sacrifices.

            You know, the Catholic Church has some tough teachings: no contraception, no gay marriage, no remarriage without an annulment, welcoming immigrants, caring for the environment, only male priests, celibate priests, did I mention celibate priests?  Now, here’s the interesting thing: some people accept these tough teachings without question and gladly embrace them.  Others grumble and complain and sign petitions to change the teaching to what they prefer.  What’s the difference in these two mentalities?  It think it’s love for the Church, and how much we’re willing to sacrifice for her.  You see, when you really love someone or something, no sacrifice seems too great.

            You got up to come to 7 a.m. Mass this morning.  I got up at 4:30 to prepare this homily.  Some people might say, “You’re mad to do that!”  I would say, “You’re right.  We’re madly in love.”

            Praised be Jesus Christ!