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Reading from the book of Exodus. In
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those days, the children of Israel set
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out from Rammeses for Sukkot. They were
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about 600,000 men on foot, not counting
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children. A large crowd also went up
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with them along with considerable flocks
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of sheep and cattle. They made
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unleavened bread with the dough they had
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brought from Egypt. because the dough
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had not been able to levaven for they
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had been driven out of Egypt and had not
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been able to wait or prepare provisions
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for themselves. The Israelites remained
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in Egypt for 430 years. On the very day
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that the 430 years ended, all the armies
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of the Lord left the land of Egypt. That
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was a night of vigil for the Lord when
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he brought them out of the land of
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Egypt. This night in honor of the Lord
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must be observed by all the children of
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Israel throughout their generations. The
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word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
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Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St. Matthew. Glory
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to you, Lord. At that time, the
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Pharisees went out and plotted to kill
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Jesus. When Jesus heard about it, he
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withdrew from there. Large crowds
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followed him, and he healed them all.
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And he commanded them not to tell who he
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was, so that what was spoken through the
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prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled.
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Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
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my beloved, in whom I have set my
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affection. I will put my spirit upon
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him, and he will declare justice to the
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nations. He will not quarrel or cry out,
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nor will anyone hear his voice in the
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streets. A bruised reed he will not
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break, or a smoldering wick he will not
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snuff out. until he has brought justice
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to victory. In his name, the nations
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will put their hope. Word of salvation.
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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
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imagine a caravan of about 600,000
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people walking through the darkness of
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the night. They are not tourists on a
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wellplanned excursion with maps and GPS.
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They are entire families. Elderly people
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leaning on staffs, children in their
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parents' arms, pregnant women carrying
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the weight of life growing in their
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wombs. They left behind everything they
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knew. Guided only by a pillar of fire
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and a divine promise. This is the
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powerful image the book of Exodus
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presents to us today. The birth of a
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people at the dawn of freedom. The
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children of Israel set out from Rammeses
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towards Sukkot. About 600,000 men on
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foot besides children. What an
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extraordinary scene. It was not just an
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exodus. It was a national resurrection,
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a passage from death to life, from
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slavery to freedom. But note a crucial
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characteristic of this journey. They
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walked through the night. Why in
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darkness? Why not wait until dawn to
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begin this epic journey? The answer
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reveals a profound truth about how God
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works in our lives. Often our moments of
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greatest liberation begin in the darkest
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hours. It is in the early morning hours
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of the soul when everything seems
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uncertain and frightening that God
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invites us to take the first steps
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toward our promised land. The text tells
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us that this was a night of the Lord's
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watch to bring them out of the land of
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Egypt. God was not asleep while his
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people suffered. He was watching,
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waiting for the perfect moment to act.
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How many times in our lives have we felt
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abandoned by God? Especially during the
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nights of our existence, moments of
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pain, uncertainty, despair. But Exodus
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reminds us that it is precisely in these
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moments that God is most attentive,
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preparing our liberation. But there is
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another fascinating detail in this
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narrative. There went up also a mixed
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multitude with them. The people of
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Israel did not travel alone. Others,
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foreigners, people of different
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backgrounds, joined them on this
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journey. This mixed multitude teaches us
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something fundamental about the nature
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of the kingdom of God. It is inclusive,
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open to all who choose to follow the
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path of liberation. Consider your own
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lives. How many times has God used
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unexpected people, those who weren't
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part of our original tribe, to bless us,
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teach us, and support us on our journey?
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Deliverance is rarely a solitary
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experience. God calls us to walk
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together, supporting one another,
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sharing the burden of the journey. Now,
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let's turn our attention to the Gospel
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of Matthew. Here we find Jesus facing a
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completely different yet equally
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revealing situation. The Pharisees went
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out and plotted to kill Jesus.
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What a stark contrast. While Exodus
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shows us God liberating his people. Here
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we see the religious authorities
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plotting to destroy God's own son. But
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note Jesus reaction. When Jesus knew
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this, he withdrew from there. It wasn't
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cowardice. It was strategic wisdom.
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Jesus didn't flee out of fear, but
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because his time had not yet come. He
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had a mission to fulfill, a people to
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teach, a salvation to accomplish. And
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even in his retreat, Jesus continued to
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do good. Many followed him and he healed
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them all. What a beautiful image. Jesus,
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even facing death threats, never stopped
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serving, healing, and loving. He shows
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us that true greatness lies not in
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confronting evil with violence, but in
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persisting in good despite opposition.
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Matthew then quotes a prophecy from
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Isaiah that reveals the heart of Jesus
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mission. Here is my servant whom I have
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chosen, my beloved, in whom I am well
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pleased. I will put my spirit upon him
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and he will proclaim justice to the
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nations. This prophecy paints a striking
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portrait of the Messiah. He is not a
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sword- wielding military conqueror, but
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a humble servant moved by the spirit. He
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is not someone who shouts in the streets
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to attract attention, but someone who
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works silently, almost secretly,
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transforming hearts one life at a time.
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A bruised reed he will not break, nor a
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smoldering wick he will quench. What a
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touching image of Jesus' compassion. The
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bruised reed perhaps representing those
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who are broken by life, wounded and
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discouraged. The smoldering wick, those
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whose faith is wavering, nearly
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extinguished. Jesus does not discard
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them. On the contrary, he nourishes
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them, strengthens them, restores them.
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Think about your own lives. Are there
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times when you have felt like a bruised
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reed, broken by circumstances, wounded
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by disappointments, bent by the weight
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of responsibilities, or perhaps like a
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smoldering wick, your faith wavering,
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your hope nearly extinguished, your
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inner light nearly extinguished. The
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promise of the gospel is that Jesus will
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not abandon you. He will not break you
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completely or extinguish your flame.
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Instead, he will work patiently to
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restore you. And what is the ultimate
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goal of this work of restoration until
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he brings justice to victory? And in his
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name the nations will put their hope.
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Jesus mission is not limited to one
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people or one nation. It is universal
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inclusive embracing all of humanity.
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Just as the mixed multitude join the
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people of Israel in the Exodus, people
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of all nations are invited to place
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their hope in Jesus. Brothers and
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sisters, today's readings invite us to
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reflect on our own spiritual journey.
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Like the people of Israel, we all need
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deliverance. Perhaps not from physical
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slavery in Egypt, but from other forms
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of captivity, addiction that binds us,
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toxic relationships, destructive thought
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patterns, paralyzing fears. And just as
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the exodus began in the darkness of
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night, our liberation can begin in the
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darkest moments of our existence. When
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all seems lost, when we can't see the
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path ahead, it is precisely then that
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God may be preparing our personal
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exodus. But remember, liberation
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requires movement. The people of Israel
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had to leave Egypt. They couldn't stand
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still, complaining about slavery, but
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hoping the situation would magically
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change. They had to get up, pack their
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things, and start walking even in the
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darkness. Likewise, our spiritual
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liberation requires action on our part.
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It could be the first step out of an
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abusive relationship, the decision to
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seek help for an addiction, the choice
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to forgive someone who has hurt us, or
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simply the act of bending our knees in
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prayer after years of distancing
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ourselves from God. And remember also
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the example of Jesus. Even when faced
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with opposition, he continued to do
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good. Even when misunderstood,
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he persisted in his mission of love.
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When the bruised reeds and smoldering
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wicks came to him, he received them with
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compassion, not judgment. May we be
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imitators of Christ in this regard. In a
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world that often breaks the already
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broken and extinguishes the already
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weakened, may we be instruments of
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restoration and hope. May our lives be a
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testimony to God's patient and
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persistent love. May we also recognize
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the mixed multitude around us. Those who
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may not share exactly our background or
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experience, but who are equally seeking
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liberation and hope. May we welcome them
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on our journey, learning from one
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another, supporting one another. And in
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the moments when we feel like bruised
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reeds or smoldering wicks, let us
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remember the promise. Jesus will not
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break us or extinguish us. In his
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skillful and loving hands, we can be
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restored, renewed, and rekindled. May
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the God of the Exodus, who freed his
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people from slavery, continue to work
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liberation in our lives today. May the
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Jesus of the gospel, who heals bruised
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reeds and rekindles smoldering wicks, be
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our hope and our strength. And may we
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walk together on this journey of faith,
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supporting one another, celebrating each
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step toward our eternal promised land.
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St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in
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battle. Be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil. May
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God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do
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thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by
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the power of God, cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prowl
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
