For most of us, we will never experience or quite understand an Exodus. A massive one at that! The closest thing, would be perhaps a desparture from a cruse ship to go home. It is certainly a logistical nightmare when done for the very first time. So now perhaps we can begin to appreciate a little how it was truly the mighty hand of God which led His people out of slavery into the promised land. How He the Lord kept Vigil over His flock who were in pursuit by the Egyptian army that very night. Such is His love for us all.
Today many of us behave the same way as the folks who fled the yoke of slavery into new life. Perhaps our hearts are stubborn from years and years of captivity knowing only a certain way of life. We are accustomed and find it difficult to be free completely. These are the habitual sins in our lives! Jesus had come and is patiently waiting for us to turn back to Him completely. So He can touch us with His ever so gentle touch of grace and lead us into new life with Him free from all sin. This is the love of our God who is the hope of all nations.
Lead me Lord my Shepherd into Your Heavenly fold. Amen
First reading
Exodus 12:37-42 ·
The sons of Israel leave Egypt hurriedly by night
The sons of Israel left Rameses for Succoth, about six hundred thousand on the march – all men – not counting their families. People of various sorts joined them in great numbers; there were flocks, too, and herds in immense droves. They baked cakes with the dough which they had brought from Egypt, unleavened because the dough was not leavened; they had been driven out of Egypt, with no time for dallying, and had not provided themselves with food for the journey. The time that the sons of Israel had spent in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And on the very day the four hundred and thirty years ended, all the array of the Lord left the land of Egypt. The night, when the Lord kept vigil to bring them out of the land of Egypt, must be kept as a vigil in honour of the Lord for all their generations.
Gospel
Matthew 12:14-21
He cured them all but warned them not to make him known
The Pharisees went out and began to plot against Jesus, discussing how to destroy him.
Jesus knew this and withdrew from the district. Many followed him and he cured them all, but warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah:
Here is my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved, the favourite of my soul.
I will endow him with my spirit, and he will proclaim the true faith to the nations.
He will not brawl or shout,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
He will not break the crushed reed, nor put out the smouldering wick till he has led the truth to victory:in his name the nations will put their hope.
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