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This week we are invited to look into the mystery of God’s justice and mercy in the Red Sea crossing; in the epistle lesson, Paul urges us to shed our rugged individualism in order to welcome even the weakest among us, and in the Gospel lesson Jesus removes the boundaries to forgiveness. Enjoy!

Exodus 14:19-31-Pursuing and Pursued: the Chase Scene

With a mighty hand God leads the Israelites into and through the Red Sea with the warning at the bottom of the screen: “kids, don’t try this at home.” Unfortunately, the pursuing commandos blunder into and partially through the same sea but with disastrous results. A divine outsider ambulates from front to back of the fleeing Israelites, thus placing a protective cushion between the two groups. A cloud blankets one side with limited visibility while illuminating the other with light. Clearly, God distinguishes between those who claim and trust the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and those who disregard and defy that God. The story behind the story is really our story of God’s action in our life at those moments when we have been in either camp: When the Israelites saw the great power with which the LORD had defeated the Egyptians, they stood in awe of the LORD, and they had faith in the LORD.

Romans 14:1-12-It’s the Impact, Not the Act

Paul continues to draw his listeners into Christian praxis-this time we’re in sensitivity training. The discussion topic: Welcome, but don’t judge those whose opinions differ from yours. Several examples follow: a person whose faith allows them to eat anything vis-à-vis one who can only eat vegetables. Another: those who value days as more important than other days. The bottom line is that however our conscience frees us to act, we are to honor the Lord and give thanks to God. The end of the bottom line: we are no longer rugged individuals; we are part of a community that we impact by our actions. So be sensitive to others, well aware that we will all stand before God one day.

Matthew 18:21-35-Peter and the Math Problem

This parable is delightful-surprising, poignant, melodramatic, yet severe. Peter initiates this remarkable parable by probing the farthest frontiers of forgiveness. “Do I have to forgive him” (v.21), suggests to us that Peter is more interested in the statute of limitations than in extending unilateral forgiveness. Jesus’ fabulous tale portrays as no midrash or lecture could the sheer idiocy and in congruency of withholding forgiveness from those who wound us.