These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
He rained manna upon them for food
and gave them heavenly bread.
Man ate the bread of angels,
food he sent them in abundance.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven. (Psalm 78)
To eat the bread of angels, that is our calling. As Jesus said, “It was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.” And when the disciples said, “Lord, give us this bread always,” Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” (Jn 6:32-35)
Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD:
I will sing to the LORD, for he is gloriously triumphant;
horse and chariot he has cast into the sea. (Exodus 14:21-15:1)
One of the most thrilling songs (psalms) in the Scriptures, especially in the context of the Easter Vigil. “¡Carroza y caballo arrojó al mar!” (Horse and chariot he has cast into the sea!)
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?
Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
And you, lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea,
split the sea in two,
that the children of Israel may pass through it on dry land.
But I will make the Egyptians so obstinate
that they will go in after them.
Then I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army,
his chariots and charioteers.
The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD,
when I receive glory through Pharaoh
and his chariots and charioteers.” (Exodus 14:5-18)
The chase is on. And though it might not have occurred exactly as Cecil B. DeMille envisioned it, It can only end with glory for the Lord.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things. (Mk 6:30-34)
Again the image of the heart of Christ, the Good Shepherd, moved with compassion for us, who teaches us the mysteries of the Kingdom.
They had rushed out of Egypt and had no opportunity even to prepare food for the journey. 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. (Exodus 12:37-42)
The Great Easter Vigil invites us all to keep a vigil for the Lord who leads us out of the darkness of death into God’s marvelous light in the Resurrection of Christ, our God who give us bread for the journey.
