Our first reading today picks up the story of the children of Israel after the Passover. They have now been led out of slavery. In the Gospel reading from Matthew 12, Jesus gets out of Dodge when He realizes that the Pharisees are conspiring against Him.
Think of the magnitude of the task that Moses undertook for his people. About six hundred thousand men, not counting the little ones, left Egypt for their sojourn in the desert. With women and children, I think we can safely assume well over a million people. That’s a big crowd! And what with hauling all of their possessions, livestock, etc., it was probably a very daunting task.
As Moses led his people out of slavery, so too did Jesus. By His death and resurrection, we have been led out of our slavery to sin. And even though Jesus is God, it is still a daunting task. Why? Because God has given us free will. We don’t have to follow Jesus out of slavery. We must choose to do so. But here’s the great thing: we can choose to do just that.
Father, as Jesus leads us out of slavery, may we always choose to follow Him. Amen.
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