WHEN COMPLAINT BECOMES POISON

READINGS: THE EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS

The first reading of this 24th Sunday, Year C (Numbers 21:4–9) begins with a very human expression: “With their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses.”

Have you ever had your patience worn out because the road felt too long, prayers seemed unanswered, blessings lost their shine, envy twisted gratitude into bitterness, and all you could see were the problems in front of you? That was Israel in the desert—and it is us, today, in our own moments of discontent with life’s journey.

In their weariness, the Israelites forgot all that God did to the Egyptians—the seven plagues, the miracle of the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night—just to set them free. For one instance of need, instead of gratitude, they grumbled; instead of trust, they turned to complaint. And what was the consequence? The serpents came—deadly in venom, relentless in their bite—and the people died in great numbers. Every bite was a reminder that bitterness bites, and that complaining poisons the human spirit. Resentment is like venom, easily spreading through the human soul, a family, a parish community, or even a nation.

Yet, in His infinite mercy, God offered them grace. He instructed Moses to lift up a bronze serpent on a pole and directed that anyone who looked upon it would live. That bronze serpent was a foreshadowing of Christ Himself—lifted high on the Cross—a symbol of life, healing, and hope.

My friends, there is so much for us to learn from this event. We need to guard our hearts against grumbling and complaining. Complaints are seeds that multiply pain, while gratitude reveals manna. Complaints close the heart, but gratitude opens it. Even in hardship, remember: God is still providing. Turn grumbling into gratitude. Begin each day by naming one gift, however small, for which you are thankful. Bitterness doesn’t just wound us—it wounds those around us as well.

Let us not just stare at the wounds or become obsessed with the serpent bites, because healing comes only by fixing our gaze on the Cross, where love conquers poison and mercy triumphs over judgment. So, we must do all we can to build a faith-habit by lifting our eyes to Christ through visible reminders—a Bible verse on your mirror, a cross by your desk, a Scripture card in your wallet—signs that draw our eyes back to Christ, the true bronze serpent, so that we can find healing for our souls and grace for our struggles when discouragement bites. We must always remember that when our eyes are lifted up to Christ, even the desert becomes a place of grace.

Finally, adversity itself can be transformed into growth if we allow it to teach us resilience, patience, and reliance on God and these very experiences can become bridges of hope for others who may be walking through the wilderness of their own desert. Gratitude, not complaint, is the way to success.