August 7, 2003, Monday of the 18th week in ordinary time.

A reading from the book of Numbers.

The children of Israel lamented,

Would that we had meat for food.

We remember the fish we used to eat without cost in Egypt,

and the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions and the garlic.

But now we are famished.

We see nothing before us but this manna.

Manna was like coriander seed and had the color of resin.

When they had gone about and gathered it up, the people would grind it between millstones or pound it in a mortar,

then cook it in a pot and make it into loaves, which tasted like cakes made with oil.

At night, when the dew fell upon the camp, the manna also fell.

When Moses heard the people, family after family, crying at the camp, the manna also fell. When Moses heard the people, family after family, crying

at the entrance of their tents, so that the Lord became very angry, he was grieved.

Why do you treat your servants so badly, Moses asked the Lord? Why are you so displeased with me

that you burdened me with all this people?

Was it I who conceived all this people? Or was it I who gave them birth, that you tell me to carry

them at my bosom, like a foster father carrying an infant to the land you have promised under oath to their fathers.

Where can I get meat to give to all this people?

For they are crying to me, give us meat for our food.

I cannot carry all this people by myself, for they are too heavy for me.

If this is the way you will deal with me, then please do me by myself, for they are too heavy for me.

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