Homily for Thursday, Week 15 of Ordinary Time

Homily for Thursday
Week 15 of Ordinary Time

July 17, 2025
Ex 3: 13-20
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.

Moses and the Burning Busch
(Gebhard Fugel)

“I am concerned about you and about the way you’re being treated in Egypt” (Ex 3: 16).

Ex 12:40 tells us that Israel dwelt in Egypt for 430 years.  We don’t know when their favored status changed and they became slaves; Ex 1:8 hints at a change of dynasty.  Nor do we know whether Israel in that time remained faithful to “the Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob” (3:15) or whether, how soon, and how intensely they cried to him for deliverance.

We do know that the Lord was observing and was concerned, as we believe he observes and is concerned about the afflictions of millions today in too many places to list, the many whom we repeatedly call to his attention (so to speak) out of compassion for our unfortunate neighbors.

We also know that the Lord in his providence prepared Moses for the role of liberator.  We know God identified himself to Moses as the One in command of the situation:  “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel:  I AM sent me to you” (3:14)--a name that means more than Supreme Being; also the Supreme Cause, the One who makes things happen.  He promises Moses that he will overpower Pharaoh and effect Israel’s liberation (3:19-20).

He makes that promise to us, too, as we know.  He will liberate us from our oppressors:  sin, death, damnation.  We need to cry out to him and to put our trust in our liberator, our Lord Jesus.  God assured Moses that the Israelites would heed his message (3:18) and so experience God’s plan for them.  The Lord desires that we heed Jesus’ message and place our burdens, our fears, and our hopes on his shoulders; desires that we trust Jesus is the master of the situation and will provide rest for his people (Matt 11:28-30).