ALL SAINTS MARGARET STREET

Trinity XVII - Evensong, 8th October 2006.

Fr Ivan Aquilina

Many are those who think that the Exodus was a one off event which happened under the leadership of Moses. Tonight’s reading shows us how far from the truth such a statement is. True that the Exodus started under Moses but it is a process that keeps repeating itself and will keep on repeating itself as long as human beings are around.

The essence of the story of the Exodus under Moses is captured in the image of passing dry shod through the Sea of Reeds, not the Red Sea as sometimes it is called. Under Joshua, the successor of Moses, this happens again in the Jordan as we hear in tonight’s first reading.

What is the real meaning of Exodus? How does it translate to our life?

In a few words Exodus means leaving behind what is sinful to move in the pastures of the Will of God. The bondage of Israel in Egypt represents fittingly the state of sin: enslavement. Israel was enslaved in a place that was so alien to its calling that it stood against what Israel stood for. Israel could not flourish in such environment and was not allowed to; all new male offspring were put to death: what a dramatic way to show that this enslaved nation was dying. It would seem, therefore, very fitting and praiseworthy to leave such grim conditions and go where life can be restored. The wisdom of the world would advise us to leave the desert a place of desolation and seek refuge in big centres just like Egypt. But we who live on the other side of the story know that this is not the case, in fact it is to the contrary. We are to leave the security of the known to wander off in the insecurity of the unknown. This is not easy, as it entails leaving behind the familiar landscape and walk in uncharted waters. It is amazing how quick we get used to the system of sin and disorder: sin is really addictive.

So no wonder that as long as humans are around the process of Exodus will still be going on. We have a tendency to settle in sin, God does not stop calling us out to the desert that leads to the Promised Land where we find dignity and growth and freedom. We have crossed over from the land of sin through the waters of baptism, and we continue this journey every time we celebrate the sacraments especially the sacrament of reconciliation, or as we used to call it: confession.

I like to think about that fine sunny day when Moses was leading out of Egypt the Chosen People. Moses a fugitive with a speech impediment leading out of Egypt a crowd of slaves with a very few possessions, can you see the scene? I am certain that somewhere perched on the bastions were two friends, meeting as they did every day, trying to set the world aright. They witness in silence this flimsy procession and observe the rising cloud of dust they leave behind. They shake their heads in disbelief and break the long observing silence by agreeing on how mad all this is. Inside those walls they had water and bread and dwellings, outside is the desert a place of death, of dangerous beasts, of disease, a haunted place. This is madness if ever madness was to be seen. But you and I know how these two men, if they ever existed, were wrong. In the desert they did not just survive, they grew and flourished even while the Egyptians died and became distant history, and today we are the inheritance of those who took the bold step into the unknown and tonight we sing their praises.

God turns human wisdom upside down. Tonight He invites us to continue on that journey in the unknown, tonight He invites us to trust Him and cooperate with Him as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus announcing the good news that the kingdom of God is at hand. Tonight we are called to cure the disease of sin and the poison of the serpent, the evil spirit who wants us tied up for good in the chains of slavery. Tonight we are called to go like sheep in the midst of wolves with complete trust in God guided by the light of the Church as founded on those twelve men that 2000 years ago joined this great procession of Exodus and changed it and who now summon us to join in their footsteps.

Whatever our Egypt is, let us break the chains, let us arise and walk in the light of Christ. It is only those of us who endure to the end that will be saved.