Scripture Reading: Exodus chapter 14
Brief
outline of Exodus 14: This chapter narrates the dramatic escape of the
Israelites from Egypt. God instructs Moses to lead the Israelites to camp by
the Red Sea, anticipating Pharaoh’s pursuit. As Pharaoh’s army approaches, the
Israelites panic, but Moses reassures them of God’s deliverance. Following
God’s command, Moses parts the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry
ground. When the Egyptians follow, God causes confusion among them and brings
the waters back, drowning the entire Egyptian army. This miraculous event
strengthens the Israelites’ faith in God and Moses.
Lessons from
St. Gregory of Nyssa (‘Life of Moses’):
St. Gregory
describes the crossing of the Red Sea as a metaphor for the sacrament of
baptism. He explains that during Baptism, an individual enters the water along
with evil forces, similar to how the Israelites walked through the Red Sea pursued
by the Egyptian army. Subsequently, the individual then emerges alone, with the
adversary or evil drowned in water paralleling the fate of the Egyptians.
The Egyptian
army—including horses, chariots, their drivers, archers, slingers, heavily
armed soldiers, and the rest of the combatants—symbolizes the various passions
of the human soul by which individuals are subjugated. The chariot had three “viziers”
(high ranking officials in Pharaoh’s court). According to St. Gregory, these
three individuals, like the upper doorpost and lintel, symbolize the tripartite
division of the soul: the thinking aspect (rational), the desire (appetitive),
and the emotions (spirited). These three are carried along by the chariot. The
horses that pull the chariot with an irresistible force are the passion for
pleasures. The undisciplined intellectual drives and the sensual impulses
towards pleasure, sorrow, and covetousness are akin to this army.
The
Israelites, guided by Moses' staff and illuminated by the cloud, find life in
the waters that also destroy their enemies. Baptism symbolizes putting to death
all forms of evil such as greed, unrestrained desire, harmful thoughts, pride,
arrogance, impulsiveness, anger, malice, envy, and similar dispositions. As
these tendencies are inherent to human nature, baptism symbolizes the
elimination of these passions and the actions resulting from them.
St. Gregory
then points out the sorry state of those individuals who after having received
the sacrament of Holy Baptism continue to lead a life unworthy of it. There are people, as St. Gregory notes, who
mistakenly believe that post-baptism, they can still partake in the wrongful
acts like cheating, theft, adultery, lies etc. and yet be liberated from the
bondage of sin. Such people fail to recognize that they remain under the
control of oppressive influences.
St. Gregory
emphasizes to such and all of us that Israelites became truly free because
their opponents drowned in the waters. If the pursuers had come out of the
waters, then Israelites would have been subject to a life of slavery. Similarly,
after the experience of the redemptive waters of baptism, we should emerge
renewed, severing all ties with wrongdoings and evil.
Similarly, the
Passover celebration included consumption of unleavened bread (that was not
mixed with old yeast) which symbolizes that no trace of past evil should
intertwine with one's future life. Instead, we are encouraged to start anew,
severing ties with previous transgressions by embracing a transformative change
for the better.
If the
rational mind is overcome by uncontrolled passion and desire, then these
influences drive an individual into an endless pursuit of pleasure that remains
unsatiated, ultimately resulting in a life of darkness and subjugation. St.
Gregory asserts that if one remains subservient to these influences after holy baptism,
they have not truly experienced its transformative essence meant to eradicate
such malicious forces.
Questions
for Personal Reflection:
1. Do I know the date when I was baptised? Do I commemorate my baptism day
like I would do with all other birthdays/anniversaries/important events of my
life? Reflect on this significant day to renew one’s commitment to the
transformative essence of baptism during this Lenten season.
2. What are the “Egyptian armies” in my life—those passions and desires
that subjugate my soul? How do they manifest in my daily actions and thoughts?
3. Do I sometimes fall into the trap of believing that I can partake in
wrongful acts and still be free from the bondage of sin? What practical actions
can I take to start anew and embrace a transformative change during this Lenten
period?
In Christ,
Rincy
Ref: Gregory of Nyssa, Saint. The Life of Moses. Translated by A.J.
Malherbe and E. Ferguson, HarperCollins, 2006, pp. 66-68. HarperCollins
Spiritual Classics series. (Original translation published by Paulist Press,
1978).
Disclaimer: The content presented here is a paraphrased summary based on my reading and understanding of the book cited above and is intended solely for educational and devotional purposes during Lent. They are not intended to replace the original work or represent the views of the author or publisher. Readers are encouraged to refer to the original book for a comprehensive understanding.
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