Reflection
The people of Israel were on their journey to their own land, having left Egypt, passing through the waters of the Red Sea (the sea of reeds).
Moaning continually, they faced various challenges on the way through the desert, one of which was being plagued by poisonous serpents who bit them; many of the people died.
They repented and asked Moses to intercede for them; the Lord ordered that he make a bronze serpent to be placed on a pole; those who were bitten would then look at the bronze serpent and live.
It was only in facing the very thing that was killing them, that they could be saved.
Sparrowhawk, the main protagonist in Ursula K. Le Guin’s iconic book, A Wizard of Earthsea, has to confront his shadow self, name it with his true name, and own it as part of himself – only then can he cease running away from that which was destroying him.
The apostle Paul tells us that when we were baptised, we were buried with Christ, that we might rise with him.
We are called to take up our cross daily
and follow him even to death
that we might rise with him
and share his new life, every day.
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