Then
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord
drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry
land; and the waters were divided. The Israelites went into the sea on dry
ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The
Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses,
chariots, and chariot drivers. At the morning watch the Lord
in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw
the Egyptian army into panic. He clogged their
chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, ‘Let us
flee from the Israelites, for the Lord
is fighting for them against Egypt.’
Then
the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch
out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians,
upon their chariots and chariot drivers.’ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea,
and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before
it, the Lord tossed the Egyptians
into the sea. The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot
drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not
one of them remained. But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the
waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. (Exodus
14:21-29)
At tables in Jewish homes this evening,
families and friends are gathered to remember the deliverance of the Israelites
out of the bondage of slavery in Egypt. There
will be ritual remembrances of having to leave quickly before their bread could
rise, dipping parsley into salt water, a symbol of the tears shed by the
Israelites and eating bitter herbs to recall the hardships endured under the
Pharaoh who did not know their ancestor Joseph.
Did the escape from Egypt happen exactly as
outlined in the Book of Exodus? Not
likely. But Jews still tell this story
because it isn’t so important whether it literally happened. Its ultimate lesson is still the same:
oppressed people will be made free and those who wield power unjustly will be
toppled.
We incorporate the Exodus story into our
Easter Vigil as a reminder that we, too, were part of that history. And while our stories diverged and traveled
in different parallel paths, we both are striving to live our lives in the
freedom that comes from the justice and mercy of God.
The life, death, resurrection and ascension of
Christ is the Christian’s deliverance from a different kind of slavery. Not one in which we are fleeing a tyrant who
forced hard labor of making bricks with less straw and longer work hours. In Christ, we are graced with a freedom of our
hearts, minds and bodies which can become enslaved to many other “gods”: money,
status, power, or a belief that God’s love has limits.
At the table, on this first night of Passover,
the question is always posed to the youngest at the table,“How is this night
different than other nights?” This is
how they begin the examination of their struggle for freedom from Pharoah, and
recognizing that even in today’s world, they must still commit to the work of
liberation for all. We, in Christianity,
might ask ourselves this same question, “How is this Week different than other
weeks?” as we embark on this journey toward the cross of Good Friday, and the
hope of the Resurrection on Sunday.
“How will this Holy Week change me?”
“How am I still living as a slave to old
habits, patterns of thought, beliefs that no longer serve as helpful in my
coming to know God through Christ?”
“How do my actions present a stumbling block
to others in knowing God?”
“How can I allow myself to experience spiritual
freedom that comes through Christ?”
Almighty
God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but
first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he
was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way
of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and
peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.
first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he
was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way
of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and
peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen.
(this was the closing worship reflection I offered at the Education for Ministry group this evening.)
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