The editors of the Lectionary preface today's First Reading with the phrase: "Moses assembled the people to remind them how the Lord had spoken out of the fire while they stood at the foot of the mountain." This serves to remind us, gathered at the foot of the cross, of the revelation given to us in Christ Jesus. Gathered in the Holy Spirit, God speaks to us through the Scriptures and communicates himself through the sacrament of the Eucharist. The elders or Israel, too, ate with the Lord: "Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. God did not lay his hand on the chief men of Israel; also, they beheld God, and they ate and drank." (Ex 24: 9-11) What a precious gift we have in the holy Mass which reveals God's self to us! Such a mystery can only be entered into through the Holy Spirit whom we celebrated last Sunday at Pentecost. Our prayer goes beyond ourselves, for it is the Holy Spirit taking us through Christ Jesus to know and love God as our heavenly Father: "When we cry 'Abba! Father!' it is the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. In fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him." (Rm 8: 15-17)
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