Obelisks were spiritual objects into which the Egyptians would carve prayers to their gods. They were made for the temples along the Nile River. There were a lot of slaves in Egypt at the time, and though the ancient Israelites lived in Goshen, over 500 miles away, they could have also been in servitude here. This hard, dehumanizing labor reminds us why they were in such dire need of freedom from oppression.

The divine beauty is in each of us, in every human being, and needs to be free to be shown as magnificent, like these wondrous temples. Our own individual divine beauties, which, when combined, make such an extraordinary spiritual reality. Our unique personal dignity shines forth most brilliantly in our communion of persons. So recognize your dignity: let the Lord bring out the divine life that is in you! Why are you called to this exodus? Answer that question with Pope Leo the Great: “You have been brought into the light of the kingdom of God”.