I Want Pizza!

Israelites lamented again, “If only we had meat for food! We remember the fish we used to eat without cost in Egypt, and the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now we are famished; we have nothing to look forward to but this manna.” (Numbers 11: 4b-6)

Opening the refrigerator, the boy slammed it close and ran to his mommy crying, “I want pizza!” “Dear, there are beef sandwiches that mommy just made, just help yourself,” Mommy said. “But I want pizza right now!” Does it sound familiar to you? I the first reading, the Israelites lament their hunger for the foods they used to eat. The Lord rains down manna from heaven to feed them but they want MEAT. Moses, poor him, frustrated by their complaints, tells the Lord that his burden as leader of the Israelites is too heavy for him to bear. One of many reasons why people complain is because they take things for granted. When we “take thing for granted”, we become blind to God’s blessing in our lives. This kind of blindness brings frustration, discouragement, dissatisfaction, annoyance, resentment, grumble about thing etc. We blame our hardship on others and harden our hearts against God. We get caught in our own wanting and close our eyes to small blessings and miracles of God in our life.

How do we deal with this kind of blindness?

An Indian proverb said, “I had no shoes and complained, until I met a man who had not feet.” Show appreciation for all that you currently have and for what you’ve been blessed with. Don’t worry or compare about all what other people have. Do you know that they’re looking at you and wishing for something you have and that you may even be taking for granted? Trusting in God can be hard sometimes, as we turn to God with our needs and WAIT IN HOPEFUL EXPECTATION, our loving Father, who knows our deepest secret, will give us what we truly need, but we have to TRUST HIM!

Lord, may our complaints turn into an act of trust in You today.

Prayer for Trust

O Christ Jesus, when all is darkness and we feel our weakness and helplessness, give us the sense of Your presence, Your love, and Your strength. Help us to have perfect trust in Your protecting love and strengthening power, so that nothing may frighten or worry us, for, living close to You, we shall see Your hand, Your purpose, Your will through all things. (By St. Ignatius of Loyola, 1491-1556)

Peace in Christ,

Father Vincent Vuong Nguyen