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Moses, Scripture tells us, was more gentle than all who dwelt upon the earth.
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First Reading
And
as Pharaoh approached, the sons of Israel looked round – and there were
the Egyptians in pursuit of them! The sons of Israel were terrified and
cried out to the Lord. To Moses they said, ‘Were there no graves in
Egypt that you must lead us out to die in the wilderness? What good have
you done us, bringing us out of Egypt? We spoke of this in Egypt, did
we not? Leave us alone, we said, we would rather work for the Egyptians!
Better to work for the Egyptians than die in the wilderness!’
Moses answered the people, ‘Have no fear! Stand firm,
and you will see what the Lord will do to save you today: the Egyptians
you see today, you will never see again. The Lord will do the fighting
for you: you have only to keep still.’
The Lord said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry to me so? Tell
the sons of Israel to march on. For yourself, raise your staff and
stretch out your hand over the sea and part it for the sons of Israel to
walk through the sea on dry ground. I for my part will make the heart
of the Egyptians so stubborn that they will follow them. So shall I win
myself glory at the expense of Pharaoh, of all his army, his chariots,
his horsemen. And when I have won glory for myself, at the expense of
Pharaoh and his chariots and his army, the Egyptians will learn that I
am the Lord.’
Then the angel of God, who marched at the front of the
army of Israel, changed station and moved to their rear. The pillar of
cloud changed station from the front to the rear of them, and remained
there. It came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel.
The cloud was dark, and the night passed without the armies drawing any
closer the whole night long.
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord
drove back the sea with a strong easterly wind all night, and he made
dry land of the sea. The waters parted and the sons of Israel went on
dry ground right into the sea, walls of water to right and to left of
them. The Egyptians gave chase: after them they went, right into the
sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
In the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the army
of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and of cloud, and threw the
army into confusion. He so clogged their chariot wheels that they could
scarcely make headway. ‘Let us flee from the Israelites,’ the Egyptians
cried. ‘The Lord is fighting for them against the Egyptians!’
‘Stretch out your hand over the sea,’ the Lord said to
Moses, ‘that the waters may flow back on the Egyptians and their
chariots and their horsemen.’
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and, as day
broke, the sea returned to its bed. The fleeing Egyptians marched right
into it, and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the very middle of the
sea. The returning waters overwhelmed the chariots and the horsemen of
Pharaoh’s whole army, which had followed the Israelites into the sea;
not a single one of them was left. But the sons of Israel had marched
through the sea on dry ground, walls of water to right and to left of
them.
That day, the Lord rescued Israel from the Egyptians,
and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. Israel witnessed
the great act that the Lord had performed against the Egyptians, and the
people venerated the Lord; they put their faith in the Lord and in
Moses, his servant.
℟. I will sing to the Lord, glorious his triumph! Horse and rider he has thrown into the sea!* The Lord is my strength, my song, my salvation.
℣. The Lord is a warrior! ‘The Lord’ is his name.* The Lord is my strength, my song, my salvation.
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Moses and the burning bush |
Second Reading
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From the Catecheses by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop |
The Israelite s witnessed marvels; you also will witness marvels, greater
and more splendid than those which accompanied them on their departure
from Egypt. You did not see Pharaoh drowned with his armies, but you
have seen the devil with his weapons overcome by the waters of baptism.
The Israelites passed through the sea; you have passed from death to
life. They were delivered from the Egyptians; you have been delivered
from the powers of darkness. The Israelite s were freed from slavery to a
pagan people; you have been freed from the much greater slavery to sin.
Do you need another argument to show that the gifts
you have received are greater than theirs? The Israelites could not look
on the face of Moses in glory, though he was their fellow servant and
kinsman. But you have seen the face of Christ in his glory. Paul cried
out: We see the glory of the Lord with faces unveiled.
In those days Christ was present to the Israelite s as
he followed them, but he is present to us in a much deeper sense. The
Lord was with them because of the favor he showed to Moses; now he is
with us, but not simply because of your obedience. After Egypt they
dwelt in desert places; after your departure you will dwell in heaven.
Their great leader and commander was Moses; we have a new Moses, God
himself, as our leader and commander.
What distinguished the first Moses? Moses, Scripture tells us, was more gentle than all who dwelt upon the earth.
We can rightly say the same of the new Moses, for there was with him
the very Spirit of gentleness, united to him in his inmost being. In
those days Moses raised his hands to heaven and brought down manna, the
bread of angels; the new Moses raises his hands to heaven and gives us
the food of eternal life. Moses struck the rock and brought forth
streams of water; Christ touches his table, strikes the spiritual rock
of the new covenant and draws forth the living water of the Spirit. This
rock is like a fountain in the midst of Christ’s table. so that on all
sides the flocks may draw near to this living spring and refresh
themselves in the waters of salvation.
WE NEED YOUR HELP
Nazareth hermitage is begging you to help us procure more medicines to help those in need. It is a great privilege to serve the sick poor who come to Nazareth hermitage for help. What is sad is when we have to tell the mothers that we do not have any medicine but they can buy it at a nearby pharmacy. The mothers look at us and tell us they have no money to buy food let alone medicine. If we can't help them, they leave and go back to their villages which can be miles away. They will have walked all that way for nothing. It really breaks your heart to see them going back home.
You can help by sending a donation to the Hermitage, If you want to help, contact me
brotherdismas@yahoo.com I will be happy to give you information regarding sending donations. Thank you!
My love and prayers,
brother dismas Mary | |