Msgr. Pope on the Look of the Lord

"There is an astonishing verse in the Exodus account, which we read this week at daily Mass. The Lord had parted the waters of the Red Sea with a strong easterly wind and the Israelites had just made the crossing with the Egyptians in hot pursuit.

"And in the morning watch, the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud, cast a glace on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic (Ex 14:24).

"Just one look … that's all it took! One can imagine many other ways that God could have stopped them: lightning, angelic forces, etc. Instead, He merely 'cast a glance.'

"Was it an angry glance? The text does not say. I would speculate that it was a look of love, for if God is love, how could it have been anything else?

"Why, then, the panic among the Egyptian forces? Perhaps it was like the reaction of those accustomed to the darkness, who wince in pain when beautiful light shines. Love confronts and drives out hate the way light drives out darkness. Love is what it is; it cannot be something else. To those held bound by hatred, though, love is like kryptonite. Thus, the Egyptian army falls at the glance of God, panics at the weakness it experiences. Yes, love can be like kryptonite to those who choose the darkness of hatred and exploitation. To those who hate the truth, it seems hateful, but God's truth is an aspect of His love for us, and only truth will set us free."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on how the "glance of God may make us feel sad, or mad, or glad; but it is the look of love, always seeking to console us or to set us right and bring about healing."

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: "And in the Morning Watch, the Lord … Cast a Glance" - A Meditation on the Look of the Lord (24 JUL 19)