The Feast of St Dominic | Tuesday 8 August 2023

Today is Tuesday the 8th of August, the feast of St Dominic, in the 18th week of Ordinary time.

Steffany Gretzinger sings, ‘Show Me Your Face’.

Moses stood on a mountain
Waiting for You to pass by
You put Your hand over his face
So in Your Presence he wouldn't die
And all of Israel saw the glory
And it shines down through the age
Now You've called me
To boldly seek Your Face
Show me Your face, Lord
Show me Your face
And then gird up my legs
That I might stand in this holy place
Show me Your face, Lord
Your power and Your grace
Your power and grace
I would make it to the end
If I can just see Your face
David knew there was something more
Than the ark of Your presence
In a manger Messiah was born
Among kings and peasants
And all of Israel saw the glory
And it shines down through the age
Now You've called us
To boldly seek Your face
Show me Your face Lord
Show me Your face
And then gird up my legs
That I might stand in this holy place
Show me Your face Lord
Your power and Your grace
Your power and grace
I will make it to the end
If I can just see Your face
I know I will make it to the end
If I can just see Your face

Today’s reading is from the Book of Numbers.

Numbers 12:1-13

While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had indeed married a Cushite woman); and they said, ‘Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?’ And the LORD heard it. Now the man Moses was very humble, more so than anyone else on the face of the earth. Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, ‘Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.’ So the three of them came out. Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the entrance of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forward. And he said, ‘Hear my words:

When there are prophets among you,
I the LORD make myself known to them in visions;
I speak to them in dreams.
Not so with my servant Moses;
he is entrusted with all my house.
With him I speak face to face—clearly, not in riddles;
and he beholds the form of the LORD.

Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?’ And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed.

When the cloud went away from over the tent, Miriam had become leprous, as white as snow. And Aaron turned towards Miriam and saw that she was leprous. Then Aaron said to Moses, ‘Oh, my lord, do not punish us for a sin that we have so foolishly committed. Do not let her be like one stillborn, whose flesh is half consumed when it comes out of its mother’s womb.’ And Moses cried to the LORD, ‘O God, please heal her.’

‘Now the man Moses was very humble, more so than anyone else on the face of the earth.’ Take a moment to imagine the man Moses… Imagine you are standing there with him… How do you experience him? How do you picture him?

‘With him I speak face to face—clearly, not in riddles’… Prayer can sometimes feel like God is speaking to us in riddles! Draw to mind a time in your life where you have heard God clearly… What was this like? If no moment comes to mind, don’t worry, just bring yourself to notice what it is like being in God’s presence here and now…


As you listen to the reading again, place yourself amongst Moses, Miriam and Aaron during their dispute. Notice what it is like being there with them, hearing especially Moses’ final plea…

‘Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting’. The Lord came down to them in a pillar of cloud to provide clarity. Take these final moments to talk with the Lord about this passage, perhaps asking for any clarity you need…

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.