This Reading, widely and popularly known as the Crossing of the Red Sea is an episode in the biblical narrative of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt. It tells of their escape from the pursuing Egyptians. Here, the prophet Moses, their leader, holds out his staff and God parts the waters of the Red Sea. The Israelites walk across on dry ground, followed by the Egyptian army. Once the Israelites have safely crossed, Moses lifts his arms again, the sea closes, and the Egyptians are drowned.

 

This episode makes for a great climax for an epic movie. And rightly so, for there are more than twenty (20) films made about the life of Moses and the escape/exit/exodus from Egypt.

 

Are we still able to draw inspiration from this story of escape from a land of bondage to a land of freedom? Though described as an escape, the Israelites actually fought Pharaoh’s army with their own army (verses 19 and 20). For it is very clear in the history of the world, freedom and liberation is not something given freely by those in power. Freedom and justice have to be fought for.

 

But in any people’s undertaking such as the exodus, the people must be united like as if everyone is part of an army with discipline and order. Without these, they are penetrable and weak. But one cannot forge unity and strength if the people are without a conviction. For the Israelites, this conviction was about a God whom they believe will not only save them from a distance but is actively present in their journey.

 

The sad thing about this story is that for the Israelites to be free, the pursuing army of Pharaoh had to be completely stopped and defeated. And this comes in the form a more formidable foe – nature. “The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived … and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore” (verses 28-30).

 

Thus, there is always the human cost to unjust systems. Death and suffering is a result of injustice and oppression, and death as a result of God’s retribution. Will this always be the case?

 

Is there forgiveness for rulers who are unjust and unrighteous and knowingly have caused grave suffering and death to their own people?

 

With this question, let us look at the Gospel reading found in Matthew 18:21-35 which is about forgiveness.

 

In response to Peter’s question “How often should I forgive? As many as seven times?”, Jesus answers, “seventy times seven, then narrates a parable.

Notice that whenever Jesus teaches with a parable, he would often preface it with the words “the kingdom of heaven may be compared to…” This means it is in the essence of the story that the certain characteristic of God’s kingdom which Jesus wants to teach about, can be found. It is not, for example, comparing the characters in the story with God and other characters. In this parable, the king is not automatically God. Otherwise we might entertain the idea that God himself, if depicted as the king, is lacking in compassion because he has the nerve to sell the slave if he is not able to pay the 10,000 talents he owes the king. Not only is the slave to be sold but also his wife, children and possessions. At the end of the story, this king would employ torture against the slave because he was not able to forgive the debt of another slave owing him a hundred denarii.

 

But the king here is able to forgo the debt because the slave begged for mercy. Perhaps this is where the comparison lies. The kingdom of God operates on the basis of forgiveness and mercy. It begins with the merciful and forgiving God, who responds with grace to those who acknowledge their shortcomings and ask for forgiveness, and those who are forgiven be able to forgive those who have done them wrong.

 

The act of forgiving is very hard especially if the offence committed is very grave and deep. A lot of Asian tele-novellas follow similar storylines of sibling rivalries, vengeful couples and love triangles whose conflicts verge on very violent and criminal acts. It would seem there’s no end to the fighting and competition but ultimately conclude with all parties forgiving each other in tears and embraces.

 

But what about the sin of tyrants and ruthless dictatorships that lay to waste the lives of the people they rule – all for their own profit and perpetuation? In the recent past, there have been governments and regimes accused and convicted of crimes against humanity. Some have been punished and penalized in accordance to prevailing laws and international standards. Unfortunately, some fallen dictatorships are being rehabilitated and brought back to power by their predecessors.

 

It is known now that in The Philippines, the Duterte government has come up with a law making the dictator and tyrant Marcos a hero in his province of Ilocos Norte. We all know that after being ousted in 1986 and tried for human rights abuses, he was convicted and ordered by the court to indemnify the by 10,000 HRV victims during his term as president.

 

Many of the surviving victims ask, how can this be? How can forgiveness be rendered when the perpetrator is returned to power and history is revised to suit the interest of those who rule?

 

Perhaps this is the reason why Jesus said not seven times but seventy times seven. It is going to be a long process. People who have been wronged need to be more determined in fighting for a society that is free from injustice and oppression; because justice and righteousness is the foundation of God’s reign. It is my belief that Divine forgiveness shall be available to all given when all of humanity are able to live and love within the tenets of God’s kingdom. Amen.