Leading To Freedom

Λαός μου, τί ἐποίησά σοι, ἢ τί ἐλύπησά σε, ἢ τί σοι παρηνώχλησά; Ἀποκρίθητί μοι. Διότι ἀνήγαγόν σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἐξ οἴκου δουλείας ἐλυτρωσάμην σε, καὶ ἐξαπέστειλα πρὸ προσώπου σου τὸν Μωυσῆν καὶ Ἀαρὼν καὶ Μαριάμ. Ἐξήγαγε δὲ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου νοητοῦ, τουτέστιν ἐκ σκότους, καὶ δαιμονίης πλεονεξίας, καὶ πηλοῦ, καὶ πλινθίας, σαρκικῶν δηλονότι παθῶν. Διεβίβασε καὶ θάλασσαν τοὺς ἐντεῦθεν περισπασμούς, μονονουχὶ καὶ πικρῶν ἀπήλλαξε κυμάτων ἐπ' αὐτοῖς κινδύνων, και νόμους τοὺς θείους εἰς νοῦν ἐνεχάραξεν. Ἀνέδειξε δὲ καὶ ἱερουρηὸν τὸν τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν ἀρχηγον. Ἐξαπέστειλε δὲ ὥσπερ καὶ Μαριὰμ, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἢ τῆς τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐπιβουλῆς ὑπερῄρθη, λαμπρῶς ἀντιθεῖσα τὴν δόξαν τῷ σεσωκότι Θεῷ. Ἀεὶ γὰρ ὕμνοι, καὶ χαριστήρια, καὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δόσεως ἔπαινοι, καὶ ἀναῥῥησεις ἐν Ἐκκλησίᾳ. Παραφυλακτέον οὖν καὶ ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς, μὴ ἄρα πως ἡμεῖς τοῖς Ἰουδαῖκοῖς ἐγκλήμασιν ὑποπέσωμεν, καὶ μὴ φορτικὸν ἡγώμεθα, τὸ ἀνδάνον Θεῷ. Ὡς γὰρ ὁ μακάριος φησιν Ἰωάννης, Αἱ ἐντολαὶ αὐτου βαρεῖαι οὔκ εἰσι. Καὶ αὐτὸς δέ φησι ὁ Χριστός· Ὁ ζυγός μου χρηστὸς, καὶ τὸ φορτιόν μου ἐλαφρόν. Προσάγωμεν τοίνυν Θεῷ τὸ εὐνήνιον, ὅτι τῶν παρ' αὐτοῦ φορτικὸν οὐδέν. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τον Προφήτην Μιχαίαν, Κεφαλὴ Ϛ' Source: Migne PG 71.674a-c

My people, tell me what have I done to you, how have I mistreated you? Answer me. I led you from the land of Egypt and set you free from the house of slavery, and I sent forth Moses and Aaron and Mariam before you. 1 He led them from the spiritual Egypt, that is, from the darkness and the deceits of the devil, and from mud and bricks, that is, from carnal passions. And He led them through the sea, from the confusion there, and he freed them from the bitter waves of danger looming over them, and He inscribed the Divine laws in their minds. And He even revealed a holy high priest for their salvation. And He sent forth Mariam, who clearly is the Church, superior to the plots of enemies, that they return glory to God the saviour. For in the Church hymns always break forth, and deeds of grace, and praises of Divine benefactions. Let us therefore also be careful lest we also fall into Jewish errors, and we judge that what pleases God is intolerable. For as the blessed John writes: 'His commands are not burdensome.' 2 And Christ Himself says: 'My yoke is easy and my burden light.' 3 Let us then offer eager minds to God, because there is nothing from Him that is burdensome. 4 Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Prophet Micah, Chapter 6 1 Micah 6.3-4 2 Heb 2.10 3 1 Jn 5.7 4 Mt 11.30