EXODUS 16:2-4, 12-15

The whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, "Would that we had died at the LORD's hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread! But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!"

Then the LORD said to Moses, "I will now rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not.

"I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread, so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God."

In the evening quail came up and covered the camp. In the morning a dew lay all about the camp, and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground. On seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, "What is this?" for they did not know what it was. 
But Moses told them, "This is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat."

Nineteen years ago, when my husband and I were newlyweds, we signed up for a cross-carrying pilgrimage along the West Highland Way, from Loch Lomond to the Benedictine Abbey on the island of Iona. It was springtime. It rained for the first three days. Despite my waterproof gear, I got so wet that the dye from my flannel shirt ran into my brand new Wonderbra. I was tired of hiking down mountains and up cattle paths, ankle-deep in mud. My feet hurt. I started complaining, first in my own mind but then to my fellow pilgrims, who were glad to join in. We wondered aloud why we hadn’t stayed warm (albeit bored) at home instead of setting out on this search for “something meaningful.” Our long-suffering guides, who had literally been down this road before, were patient in the face of it all.

Reflecting back, I count that pilgrimage as one of the richest experiences of my life. It taught me to appreciate that the Lord hears our complaining and provides, because He is a loving God.

I remember the immense gratitude I felt the evening I discovered that, while the rest of our group was at supper, two of our friends surprised us all by stuffing everyone’s wet hiking boots with newspapers so they would be dry in the morning. I remember the night my husband and I were offered a night’s rest in the only bed while our single friends bunked on the floor. I remember the companionable silence of carrying the cross with my fellow pilgrims across miles of quiet countryside. I remember how our joyful voices echoed along the stone corridors as we processed, singing, to the sanctuary of the abbey, and I knew the sore feet and wet clothes were worth it.

In this Sunday’s First Reading from Exodus, God hears the complaining of the Israelites who, led by Moses, have just begun their journey out of Egypt and are beginning to have their doubts. They are hungry and tired. They’ve been travelling for days, knowing they have many more days to go. Maybe their hiking boots are wet and their Wonderbras are ruined. They begin to see the life they left behind through rose-coloured glasses; they may have been slaves but at least they had enough to eat. So God, in His infinite mercy, sends quails to cover their camp and manna to cover the ground.

When I think back to my West Highland pilgrimage, I recognize that I began my journey as an Israelite in the desert, but I ended it in the promised land of gratitude. And instead of meeting me at my final destination, God walked with me along the way, feeding my body, nourishing my soul and teaching me to trust in His mercy.

​Donna Davis

This week, our Church is holding our annual kids camp (aka VBS: Vacation Bible School). I was invited by the Director of Children’s Ministry to help out by running one of the stations. I’ve directed VBS at two different churches and I know how much humble and communal work goes into making the camp a success for both the kids and the team. Keeping over 100 kids happy and engaged while we preach the Good News to them can be difficult, but our team joyfully works together.

Through our baptism, we are called to be Priests, Prophets, and Kings. There are many times I forget that as an adopted child of God, I am no longer an ordinary person. My baptism changed something about who I am, permanently. Because of that baptism, I have been called to greatness. My broken human nature does not want me to be meek or lowly. It wants me to stand up tall and brag about my every accomplishment. My broken human nature does not want me to be kind or loving. It wants me to talk about what I deserve. There are many times in life when I have given in to that brokenness and indulged in selfish thoughts and behaviours. I have seen others as less worthy than me and treated them as tools for my own betterment rather than as children of God imbued with unassailable dignity and worth.

This week at VBS has been a great reminder of what a life worthy of the calling of my baptism should look like. This week, I have chosen to set aside other very worthy and important tasks, so that I can crouch down on my knees next to a child and ask them about their worries, fears, joys and victories. I have chosen to make a fool of myself for Christ and have jumped around, made lame jokes (sorry kids), and pushed myself past my own selfishness to put the kids first.

When we give our best to God, even when it feels like something lowly, He magnifies our offering. This week I had several campers who don’t normally come to Church, ask if they could join us every week. They felt welcome. We fearlessly spoke the name of Jesus. They saw our joy and were drawn to it like a magnet. When St. Paul speaks to the Ephesians about hope, I know what that looks like. It looks like kids falling in love with Jesus and desiring to be with the Body of Christ in fellowship and community more and more. The hope of our faith is that Jesus rescues us and makes us His family. ​

​Stephanie Potter

PS 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18

R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.

R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
​
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

Last May, my family celebrated the 11th year of our landing here in Halifax. About 15 years ago, Canada was not on our radar at all. We were leading comfortable lives and there was really no need for us to seek our fortunes elsewhere. But there was a hunger in our hearts for God, a hunger to be always in the right with Him; to do His will for us. And He spoke...

One of the comments to us then, was that we were no longer 'spring chickens'. “What? Start all over again? In Canada?” This was what we usually heard from friends and family. There were so many obstacles to our coming over.

I am the youngest of 6 children. As such, I was in charge of all the business for the family. My parents' house was for sale and there was no one we could leave the business affairs to—including the care of our home—since my siblings were older and ‘not up to it’. I felt that I would not be able to leave in peace if these two properties were not sold, so I prayed for a quick solution because the deadline to submit our application for immigration was coming up.

A group of priests came to view our home, and they were interested in buying it (it was right across from their spirituality centre). They had a big problem, though. They did not have the funds to purchase it. We continued to pray, and one month later, the priests made their downpayment. Then, on the day that we left for Canada, the keys to my parents’ home were turned over... to a congregation of nuns who would make it their convent. I never cease to be amazed at how God resolved these two obstacles for us.

It is true, it was difficult to start over. But God—in His mighty way—just made things happen for us. He ‘gave us our food in due season’ by allowing us to land jobs here in Canada to sustain us. Our parish sustains our spiritual life. We could not ask for more. Above all, He is always near for us to call on Him.

I often think that God must feel bruised by the many times I call on Him for help, for guidance, for inspiration and for healing. However, He always delivers—oftentimes surprising me when my prayers are answered not in the way I asked for. His creativity knows no end. I am deeply humbled that He would treat me as someone so special to Him. I give Him thanks!

​Liz Venezuela