The Raging Waters

Our ancestors, finally freed from slavery,
left Egypt and came to the shores of the sea.
Turbulent waters stood before them.
The Pharoh’s army was at their back. 

Frightened they cried out:
What are we doing?
This is impossible.
It is safer for us to give up
and return to being enslaved.
Moshe responded:
Have no fear,
Stand firm and you will witness
the power of transformation.
Ex. 14:11-13

All through that night,
our ancestors battled fear, hesitation,
doubt and despair.
They reached for each other,
they turned toward the Divine Presence.
Somehow a spark was lit and
they experienced a moment of deep trust
that enabled them to believe that a better life
was surely possible.

At dawn,
they stepped into the raging waters together
and found their way through.

On the other side of the sea,
fear and doubt did not disappear,
and every day they had to choose
to keep walking toward the world they longed for.

And here we are.
The tyrant’s army is at our back,
and in front of us --
chaos and possibility.

Let us stand firm.
Let us keep returning to what we love and value.

Together, we will find the strength
to believe in a world healed and transformed,
and the courage to walk through the raging waters to get there.