Stretch Out Your Hand

Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

By Melanie Rigney

Then the LORD told Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may flow back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and their charioteers.” So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth. The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward the sea, when the LORD hurled them into its midst. As the water flowed back, it covered the chariots and the charioteers of Pharaoh’s whole army that had followed the children of Israel into the sea. (Exodus 14:26-28)

When your wind blew, the sea covered them; like lead they sank in the might waters. When you stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them!  (Exodus 15:10, 12)

And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, (Jesus) said, “Here are my mother and brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Matthew 12:49-50)

Piety

Lord, You stretch me in so many ways every day. Thank You, for this stretching makes me stronger in service to You and to others.

Study

Moses stretched out his hand, and Pharaoh’s army was wiped out.

Jesus stretched out his hand, and the disciples learned that the Lord’s family is about more than blood and shared DNA.

We stretch out our hands, and… what?

• We acknowledge a stranger’s existence, maybe for the first time that day.
• We heal a rupture with a family member or friend.
• We begin to accept someone in the neighborhood, at work, or elsewhere who is difficult to love as a brother or sister in the Lord.
• We challenge that what keeps us from love, even as we remain true to ourselves and the Word.

We stretch out our hands, our souls, and our hearts… and perhaps begin to understand ever so dimly what it is like to be touched by God.

Action

Do something that stretches a complacent spot in your faith.