Sunday Gospel Reflection, 7th Sunday of Easter (June 1, 2025)
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In this well-known account of God calling Moses, we witness one of the most profound moments in religious history—the revelation of God’s name by God Himself. No other religion presents its deity humbling itself in such a way. In many traditions, when a god or goddess appeared to a hero, it often required some form of trickery on the hero’s part. Yet here, God chooses freely to reveal Himself to Moses in an intimate and personal way.
This revelation later finds an early liturgical expression, as the Jewish people offer prayers of blessing specifically to God’s name. This name serves as a reminder of the humility and love God first showed to Moses and continues to extend to His people. Ultimately, this humility and love reach their perfection in the Incarnation, when God enters creation by assuming human nature.
St. Paul later references Moses, not from the moment of his calling but from his leadership of Israel through the wilderness. He speaks of the crossing of the Red Sea and the rock that provided miraculous water—both foreshadowing baptism. Baptism, like these events, offers salvation and freedom from slavery to sin, providing hope in this life. It is also in baptism that one receives a name within the Church—a name known by Christ.
The connection between the Gospel and the first two readings may not be immediately clear, but it becomes evident when considering the kind of freedom baptism grants. In Exodus 3, Moses was called to a mission—to serve as God’s instrument in freeing the Israelites so they could worship Him. Likewise, the Israelites were liberated through the Red Sea not only to enter the Promised Land but also to serve as a witness to the surrounding nations of true worship. Similarly, baptism saves Christians from something, but also for something. It is a call to bear fruit, like the fig tree. Baptism is indeed a gift, but it is more than that—it is also a divine calling.
Mike Schramm lives in southeastern Minnesota with his wife and seven children. There, he teaches theology and philosophy at Aquinas High School and Viterbo University. He earned his MA in theology from St. Joseph's College in Maine and an MA in philosophy from Holy Apostles College. He is also the managing editor of the Voyage Compass, an imprint of Voyage Comics and Publishing, and co-hosts the Voyage Podcast with Jacob Klatte.
