Reading 1
Ex 12:37-42
The children of Israel set out from Rameses for Succoth,
about six hundred thousand men on foot,
not counting the little ones.
A crowd of mixed ancestry also went up with them,
besides their livestock, very numerous flocks and herds.
Since the dough they had brought out of Egypt was not leavened,
they baked it into unleavened loaves.
They had rushed out of Egypt and had no opportunity
even to prepare food for the journey.
The time the children of Israel had stayed in Egypt
was four hundred and thirty years.
At the end of four hundred and thirty years,
all the hosts of the LORD left the land of Egypt on this very date.
This was a night of vigil for the LORD,
as he led them out of the land of Egypt;
so on this same night
all the children of Israel must keep a vigil for the LORD
throughout their generations.
136:1 and 23-24, 10-12, 13-15
Responsorial PsalmR.
His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever;
Who remembered us in our abjection,
for his mercy endures forever;
And freed us from our foes,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Who smote the Egyptians in their first-born,
for his mercy endures forever;
And brought out Israel from their midst,
for his mercy endures forever;
With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Who split the Red Sea in twain,
for his mercy endures forever;
And led Israel through its midst,
for his mercy endures forever;
But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his mercy endures forever.
R. His mercy endures forever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Mt 12:14-21
The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus
to put him to death.
When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place.
Many people followed him, and he cured them all,
but he warned them not to make him known.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved in whom I delight;
I shall place my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not contend or cry out,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed he will not break,
a smoldering wick he will not quench,
until he brings justice to victory.
And in his name the Gentiles will hope.
Meditation: Exodus 12:37-42
“A crowd of mixed ancestry went up with them.” (Exodus 12:38)
So just who made up this “crowd of mixed ancestry” who left Egypt with the Israelites? Some were probably pagans who had married Israelites. Some were probably the offspring of such marriages. Others were likely foreigners who, like the Israelites, had been forced into slavery and now grabbed the opportunity to escape by joining themselves to Moses’ company. Maybe they even shared the Israelites’ belief in a liberating God. Whoever they were, the people who gained freedom in the Exodus transcended the narrow bounds of the Hebrew race.
Just as the crowd that left Egypt in the Exodus was “mixed,” so too is the Christian church today. Not every Christian worships in the same way or holds the same beliefs that we do as Catholics. But whatever differences we may have, God calls us to treat each other with respect and honor. As Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism makes clear, “All who have been justified by faith in Baptism are members of Christ’s body, and have a right to be called Christian.” We are all brothers and sisters in Christ! We are all one family. We are all walking away from Egypt and headed toward the Promised Land.
So how can we help each other on this journey? What can we do to help foster Christian unity? One of the best things we can do is to look at people from different traditions with eyes of love and respect. We can avoid the extremes and prejudices that have often marked how Christians from different traditions relate. For example, we should be careful not to disparage other traditions or go so far as to claim that these believers aren’t Christian. Of course, we shouldn’t gloss over our real and crucial differences, but we should never let these differences deter us from the goal of unity.
We can also work together, serving in a local pro-life clinic, soup kitchen, or homeless shelter. These are all wonderful opportunities to grow closer as brothers and sisters and to share our faith with each other. As we get to know each other, we will come to see that much more unites us than divides us. And that can move us to pray all the more deeply for full and real unity among all believers.
“Father, teach us all to grow together in unity and love.”
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