What to do when a new sheriff is in town.

"Then a new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, rose to power in Egypt." (Exodus 1: 8).

Monday of the 15th week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Bonaventure, Franciscan, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. When you meet the new atheists who no longer believe in God because they have advanced degrees in science, you may ask them: Are you more learned or educated than St Bonaventure, St Thomas Aquinas, St Albert the Great or St Augustine. God continues to bless the Church with great scientists who have blessed the world. Our saint of today, Bonaventure is one of them.

What do you make of our key Scripture? "Then a new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, rose to power in Egypt." (Exodus 1: 8). When a new sheriff comes to town, a new king comes to the throne, what do the little folk do? God shakes up history through one man.

"Accordingly, they set supervisors over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. ...... Pharaoh then commanded all his people, “Throw into the Nile every boy that is born, but you may let all the girls live.” (Exodus 1: 11, 22).

The Israelites suffered "the whole cruel fate of slaves." This suffering prepared them to cooperate for the historic event of the Exodus.

God did not abandon Israel to the cruel power of their oppressors. The Exodus is seared in the memory of the Israelites.
"If the Lord had not been on our side,’ this is Israel’s song.
‘If the Lord had not been on our side when men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive when their anger was kindled." (Psalm 124: 1 - 3).

Remember: When a new sheriff comes to town, cry out to God for protection. God hears always the cry of the poor. The Lord our God Almighty is King. Not Pharaoh. Not Caesar.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com