“I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry” (Ex 3:7).

At that time, God heard the cry of the oppressed, marking the beginning of a history of liberation. God chose Moses to lead God’s people, opening the way to freedom and salvation for the sons and daughters of God who had been held in slavery.

This scripture reminds us that we are living in turbulent times marked by war, conflict, destruction, and exploitation. In such suffering, words of encouragement are much needed, particularly for those who endure the direct consequences of such terrible evil situations that persist and seem endless. Yet, this scripture also serves as a prophetic reminder that no system of death has the final word; this is not the end. Though our fragility is great, new life can still emerge for freedom and hope.

Pope Leo XIV, in his Lenten message, invites us to enter an inner disposition of receptivity and to allow ourselves to enter into God’s voice, so as to listen, to see, and to act, as God does in the midst of oppressive realities. The Holy Father reminds us that "Lent is a time in which the Church, guided by a sense of maternal care, invites us to place the mystery of God back in the center of our lives, in order to find renewal in our faith and keep our hearts from being consumed by the anxieties and distractions of daily life. Every path towards conversion begins by allowing the word of God to touch our hearts and welcoming it with a docile spirit. There is a relationship between the word, our acceptance of it and the transformation it brings about."

The effects of all these suffering and destruction reveal deterioration on multiple levels: the burden of human suffering, instability, vulnerability to human trafficking, exploitation, famine, increased poverty and inequality, disappearances, and forced displacement under severe conditions, and global economic instability. Lent reminds us that the path of the Cross leads to the Resurrection. We hold this certainty: God is in the midst of the conflict, walking with His people, among the rubble, bent over the mud of a trench, His face covered with dust, experiencing cold, fear, and anguish. God's gaze rests upon the woman taken against her will, upon the whisper of a mother giving strength to her child.

Just as God called Moses, today God calls us; as Talitha Kum Networks. The cry of our sisters and brothers challenges us and impels us to act with courage, promoting justice and restoring dignity wherever the Talitha Kum Network is present. In particular, in the Middle East, our Sisters and partners stand with the communities threatened by trafficking, accompanying them through their struggles and pains. Responding to God’s call may challenge us, yet it also brings hope. We hold fast to His promise: “I will be with you.” (Exodus 3:12).

As people of goodwill, let us open ourselves to God’s action in our lives. God transforms our vulnerability into a source for strength, guiding and empowering us toward liberation and hope.

Photo: David Tomaseti