Family feud

In today’s first reading (Nm. 12:1-13), dissension arises against Moses: led by his very own sister Miriam. Even his brother Aaron, who had worked so closely with Moses, joins their sister against him.

First, they denounce him for having a non-Israelite wife. Then, they shift to what sounds like an egalitarian argument.

Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses?
Hath he not spoken also by us?

It doesn't take much to see all of this dissent and denunciation as being motivated primarily by envy and by the desire for power and prestige.

Moses' approach is quite the opposite.

Now the man Moses was very meek,
above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.

He even prays for his sister when she is striken. His approach is very much like that which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ sets out for us.

Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles
exercise dominion over them,
and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
But it shall not be so among you:
but whosoever will be great among you,
let him be your minister;
And whosoever will be chief among you,
let him be your servant:
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister,
and to give his life a ransom for many.
(Matthew 20:26b-28)

The answer to both of Miriam's rhetorical questions is a qualified "yes." She is called a "prophetess" in Exodus 15:20 and of course Aaron is given a key role by the Lord in Exodus 4.

But in today's first reading, the Lord makes it very clear that Moses' role is very different.

And he said, Hear now my words:
If there be a prophet among you,
I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision,
and will speak unto him in a dream.

My servant Moses is not so,
who is faithful in all mine house.

With him will I speak mouth to mouth,
even apparently, and not in dark speeches;
and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold:
wherefore then were ye not afraid
to speak against my servant Moses?

God may indeed speak and work through many, but in the working of God among human beings there is a proper diversity (while preserving a fundamental equality).

St. Paul elaborates on this at length in 1 Corinthians 12:

Now there are diversities of gifts,
but the same Spirit.
And there are differences of administrations,
but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of operations,
but it is the same God which worketh all in all....

All these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit,
dividing to every man severally as he will.
For as the body is one, and hath many members,
and all the members of that one body,
being many, are one body:
so also is Christ....

If the ear shall say,
Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body;
is it therefore not of the body...?

If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
But now hath God set the members
every one of them in the body,
as it hath pleased him....

And the eye cannot say unto the hand,
I have no need of thee:
nor again the head to the feet,
I have no need of you.

Nay, much more those members of the body,
which seem to be more feeble, are necessary....

And God hath set some in the church,
first apostles, secondarily prophets,
thirdly teachers, after that miracles,
then gifts of healings, helps,
governments, diversities of tongues.

Sadly, much of the dissension among Christ's faithful arises ultimately from disputes about power and prestige, in tragic contrast to our Lord's words:

But it shall not be so among you.

Church should not be a family feud. Rather our emphasis should be first of all on service - to Christ and to each other - and on rejoicing in the diversity of the ways that we serve in truth and love....

Even as the Son of man came
not to be served,
but to serve,
and to give his life a ransom for many.