1st Reading: Num 13
Gospel: Mt 5:21-28
As I reflect on the first reading, I thought about the last surviving member of that generation of Israelites that complained to the Lord, that wailed, and did not trust in the Lord.
For that last surviving member, he had wandered in the desert for 40 years, and seen his generation dying one by one and buried in the desert sand.
And as the next generation was about to enter the Promised Land, he also knew that his time had come.
He won't enter the Promised Land - he would have to die and be buried in the desert sand.
That was the price that he and his generation had to pay for not trusting and having faith in the Lord.
But more heart-breaking than not entering the Promised Land was that he and his generation had to live with 40 years of guilt and regret.
All that was needed at that time of crisis when they had doubts about the Promised Land was to trust in the Lord and have faith.
But instead they complained, they wailed, they rebelled.
And for the next 40 years, they had to live with the consequences.
In the gospel, the Canaanite woman also faced a crisis of faith and trust in Jesus.
But she choose to trust in Jesus and was rewarded for her faith.
We too, will have to face our moments of crisis in faith and trust.
What and who we choose is of a great consequence.
We surely don't want to live in guilt or regret.
But we must trust in the Lord and put our faith in Him.
Only then will we have hope in the future.