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| British Library [Public domain] |
“The
Affair Must Certainly Be Known” by Melanie Rigney (@melanierigney)
Piety
On one occasion, after Moses had grown up, when he visited
his kinsmen and witnessed their forced labor, he saw an Egyptian striking a
Hebrew, one of his own kinsmen. Looking about and seeing no one, he slew the
Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he went out again, and now two
Hebrews were fighting! So he asked the culprit, "Why are you striking your
fellow Hebrew?" But the culprit replied, "Who has appointed you ruler
and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the
Egyptian?" Then Moses became afraid and thought, "The affair must
certainly be known." (Exodus 2:11-14)
Study
We learn
through other readings and works that Moses was forty when the event described
in today’s first reading occurred. Yes, he knew his heritage, thanks to his
mother, but to the world, he was preparing to become Egypt’s next pharaoh. But
when he saw the beating of the Hebrew, he acted, perhaps instinctively. Moses
didn’t think anyone knew… until he was called on it the following day. And a
sobering thing that had to be, indeed. All of a sudden, the future looked very,
very different, and very, very uncertain.
So Moses
fled—not only from Pharaoh’s executioners but also into the Lord’s plans for
him.
It happens to
us as well, if we open ourselves to God. Perhaps we’re perfectly happy with no
one knowing about our heritage, our faith, our morals. We lie or at least
don’t tell the full truth, in situations so that we don’t upset anyone or make
waves. Then comes the day when, like Moses, we see something so egregious that
we have to act. What triggers us may not be physical abuse; maybe it’s one too
many jokes about Catholics or one too many assumptions that our views are the
same as our colleagues’ or the world’s, even though those views are counter to
what’s in our souls and teachings.
On that day,
we “come out,” if you will. We state our true beliefs on abortion, immigration,
the death penalty, homelessness, or whatever other hot topic causes us to cross
the Rubicon. All of a sudden, the future looks very, very different and very,
very uncertain; colleagues, friends, and maybe even family members start to
avoid us.
Having no
real alternative, we flee into the Lord’s loving plans for us. And there we find, as Moses did, that the
future is definitely different from what we have expected—but it is far from
uncertain.
Action
Speak up for
God today.
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