7/14/2015 – Tuesday of the 15th week ordinary time – Exodus 2:1-15

      These past few weeks, we’ve been hearing the story of the people of Israel, of the covenant God made with Abraham, of the establishment of the people of Israel in Egypt.  Today, we hear the story of Moses from the Old Testament book of Exodus, of how Moses started his life as an infant in a time of great danger and violence for the people of Israel.   Before Moses was even born, God had chosen the people of Israel as his special people.   Yet, the people of Israel were not the most powerful, or the smartest, or the most advanced civilization in the world at the time.  To the contrary, they were slaves in a foreign land whose destiny was controlled by a mighty empire.   God made a commitment to the people of Israel: he made them his people.   In honoring that commitment, God chose a leader who would bring them out of bondage.  Today, we hear this story of a baby hidden in a basket amongst the reeds in order to save his life, a baby who would be raised by Pharaoh’s daughter as her son, a baby who would grow up to be the leader chosen by God to free his people.  God works in remarkable ways, doesn’t he? 

      The poor and oppressed of the world often identify with the Exodus story, of how the people of Israel were liberated from God on so many different levels.  They were liberated socially, spiritually, politically, psychologically, and physically.  We can be enslaved by many different things in life in ways that we don’t even understand.  May Christ always be our liberator.