The appointed Old Testament reading for today is taken from Deuteronomy and we read about what Moses found after he had his encounter with the Living God on the mountain:
So I turned and went down from the mountain, while the mountain was ablaze; the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands. Then I saw that you had indeed sinned against the Lord your God, by casting for yourselves an image of a calf; you had been quick to turn from the way that the Lord had commanded you. So I took hold of the two tablets and flung them from my two hands, smashing them before your eyes. Then I lay prostrate before the Lord as before, for forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all the sin you had committed, provoking the Lord by doing what was evil in his sight. For I was afraid that the anger that the Lord bore against you was so fierce that he would destroy you. But the Lord listened to me that time also. The Lord was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him, but I interceded also on behalf of Aaron at that same time. Then I took the sinful thing you had made, the calf, and burned it with fire and crushed it, grinding it thoroughly, until it was reduced to dust; and I threw the dust of it into the stream that runs down the mountain. (Deut. 9:15-21).
While he was away, the people made a golden calf; they turned to idolatry. Many times we think that in this day and age there really is no idolatry, but let’s think about that. In Moses’ day, calf bulls were considered to be a symbol of strength and power, and often times they were depicted with an enhanced sexual organ. The calf they made was of gold. It is the same old story for humanity: power, sex and money—that is what their golden calf symbolized. Sound familiar? Our culture is well acquainted with the golden calf. Just read any fashion magazine or watch television. It’s all there, alluring us to worship power, sex and money.
Let us pray: O Almighty God, who pourest out on all who desire it the spirit of grace and of supplication: Deliver us, when we draw near to thee, from coldness of heart and wanderings of mind, that with steadfast thoughts and kindled affections we may worship thee in spirit and in truth; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
Wednesday, 25 February at 6 PM we begin our Lenten Series, Rule of Life, at Trinity Episcopal Church with Fr. Peter and Br. Michael of Holy Cross Benedictine Monastery in Beaumont, Texas. We will start with Evening Prayer and Eucharist, a light meal and the presentation. Please come!
ESL Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings in Sutton Hall.
Spanish Al-anon at St. Augustine’s on Wednesday evenings.
Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Marilyn, Lee's father and Raul.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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