This past week I encountered helplessness, frustration and hopelessness - in myself and in others. I've seen these three things in people who could not do their best, in people who did not know what the best thing to do was, and in people who did their best but found their best just wasn't good enough. All very different people; all very different circumstances; all facing and feeling the same thing.
Reading today's readings, I wonder if the Israelites felt the same way, hearing the first installment of God's commands for the first time? Can you imagine the conversations...."ok, I got the no murder and no adultery part...but I can't even look at Joshua's nice cow and want what he has?" If Moses hadn't been so close to God, I could almost imagine him receiving the next batch of commands and sounding like an infomercial announcer: "But wait...there's more!"
I also wonder about the Pharisees. Were they really all consciously taking advantage of the Israelites? Or had they simply fallen into self serving practices, despite the best of intentions? I mean, if it was the latter, they must have been really, rudely shocked: "Wait, is He talking about me? That couldn't be me, could it?"
The truth is, our best intentions, our best efforts, our best intellect - none of it is enough to escape our Lord's accusation to the Pharisees: "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?" How fortunate then are we - or, at least, those who come to the realization of the utter inability to achieve one's own salvation - how fortunate are they to be able to pray as the Psalmist did: "To you, Lord, I call; you are my Rock, do not turn a deaf ear to me...the Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and He helps me...save Your people and bless Your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever."
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