Scripture:
Exodus 12:37-42
Matthew 12:14-21
Reflection:
In today’s Old Testament and Psalm readings, we are drawn into the story of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Scripture recalls the mighty works the Lord did to save His people from captivity. From the perspective of the Jews, God’s actions were glorious miracles. Yet, if we look at it from the point of view of the Egyptians, they were occasions of suffering and death. It is difficult to reconcile these two realities. Are the enduring mercies referenced in the Psalm only for certain people?
The answer comes to us in the Gospel reading. Here, we find the descendants of the very people the Lord saved in the time of Moses seeking to put Jesus, the Giver of Life, to death. As awful as this seems, the prophet Isaiah tells us why it is God’s will. In Jesus’ death at the insistence of the Jews, he will bring victory and hope to the Gentiles. The death that was allowed to free Israel from Egypt will be atoned for by Jesus, God’s Beloved Son, in His Passion. In His death, we come to know that God’s love is for all people.
In our own lives, when suffering comes, let us remember that the sorrows of the present time are not the whole story. The Lord is at work for good even in our pain. No matter how dark a situation might seem, there is a greater truth that exists. For every people, in every circumstance, God’s mercy endures forever.
Megan Silas is a Lay Passionist at Holy Name Passionist Retreat Center in Houston, Texas.