16. Manna and Water from the Rock (Exodus 16-17)

As the people of Israel journeyed through the desert toward the Promised Land, they began to suffer from hunger and thirst. Quickly forgetting the miracles of Egypt, they started to grumble against Moses and Aaron, even saying they would have preferred to die as slaves in Egypt with full bellies than to starve in the desert. In the face of this lack of faith, God responded with infinite patience and miraculous provision: every morning, the desert appeared covered with a white, fine substance, like hoarfrost, which the people called "Manna" (meaning "What is it?").

Manna was the "bread from heaven" that God gave them every day. They were to gather only what was necessary for the day, thus learning to trust in Divine Providence every morning. When the thirst became unbearable in a place called Meribah, the people protested again. The Lord commanded Moses to strike the rock at Horeb with his staff, and from the dry stone flowed abundant water for everyone. God was not only feeding them physically, but He was also teaching them that He was the source of all life in the midst of the desert.

These events are key to understanding God's relationship with us. Manna is a clear figure of the Eucharist, the true Bread from Heaven that sustains us on our journey toward eternal life. The water from the rock is an image of Jesus Christ, who is the "spiritual Rock" that follows us and quenches our thirst for happiness. The desert was the school where Israel learned that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.