Readings: Exodus 14:5-18, Exodus 15:1-6, Matthew 12:38-42
“Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today… The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.” (Exodus 14:13-14)
Slavery is one grave evil that humans inflict on one another. Slavery begins with a fundamental lack of respect for the dignity of a fellow human being. Whenever you look down on others, deny them their human rights, or treat them as machines just because they depend on you for sustenance, you are enslaving them.
Slavery persists in our homes, workplaces, and various social gatherings. There is a thin difference between people working for you and people serving you as slaves. If you have a good conscience, you will easily see the difference. “You shall not defraud your neighbour; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a labourer until morning.” (Leviticus 19:13). Refusing to pay your workers their just entitlements when due, while expecting them to work optimally, is slavery.
When slavery occurs, it is not only the slave who suffers. Asa, the musician, sang, “I’m in chains, you are in chains too. I wear uniforms; you wear uniforms too.” A lack of respect for your fellow human does not make you a higher species. The Book of Proverbs declares, “Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished.” (Proverbs 17:5). When you mock or scorn someone, especially someone in a vulnerable position, you are essentially insulting God, who created them.
We are all made in God’s image. To disrespect a fellow human being is to disrespect their Creator. When you rejoice in the misfortunes of others, others will rejoice at your misfortune. Treat others as you wish to be treated. (cf. Matthew 7:12) Do not maltreat or exploit your fellow human beings because they are at your mercy. Do not develop a heart of stone like Pharaoh, who chased after the Israelites after he had let them go. Little did Pharaoh know that he was running towards his death. There are battles that you should never engage in. You may assume the person is “nothing” to you, but you may end up attempting to fight God.
One of the consequences of slavery is the psychological condition known as “learned helplessness.” The slave begins to think of himself in such low terms that he craves for and worships his master. This is the stage of surrender! In the presence of his master, he is overcome by fear. This was the fear that gripped the Israelites in the presence of Pharaoh. They even asked Moses, “Were there no better tombs in Egypt that you brought us out here to die?”
Moses said, “God will make a way. Be still. Be calm. Relax. Fear not. Just watch and see. God will fight for you.” Reflecting on this, Don Moen sang: “God will make a way, where there seems to be no way, He works in ways we cannot see. He will make way for me. He will be my guide; hold me closely to His side. With love and strength for each new day, He will make a way; He will make a way. He’ll lead me by a roadway in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert I will see.” Never underestimate the power of God. Be calm, and know that God knows how to make a way where there seems to be none.
God said to Moses, “Lift your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the sons of Israel may go on dry ground through the sea.” This is how God makes ways for us when we think we have reached the end of the road. Have you been threatened? Call out to God today, and He will defend His name.
There is a distinction between seeking God’s intervention and testing God (i.e., asking for proof of His power). Jesus worked countless miracles in the Gospels, but He only attended to those who needed help. Jesus never worked any miracles to prove that He is God.
For instance, in today’s Gospel passage, the Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign, and in response, Jesus told them that only an evil and adulterous generation would seek a sign. The God who parted the Red Sea and enabled the Israelites to walk through it is still with us today. If you believe, you will see signs, but if you lack faith, no sign will be enough.
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, save us from the fear of people. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Monday of week 16 in Ordinary Time. Liturgical Colour: Green Bible Study: Exodus 14:5-18, Exodus 15:1-6, Matthew 12:38-42).
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu