And after forty years
an angel, in a flame of a burning bush
appeared to him
in the wilderness of Mount Sinai
So, Moses seeing (this)
was marvelling at the sight,
and when he approached to look closer
there came the voice of the Lord.
I am the god of your fathers,
The God of Abraham, and of Isaac and of Jacob1.
Then Moses began to tremble,
and did not dare to look closer.
The Lord said to him:
‘Take off the sandals from your feet,
for the place on which you stand is holy ground.
I have certainly seen the oppression of my people
who are in Egypt
and I have heard their groaning,
and I have come down to rescue them.
And now, come!
I will send you into Egypt. 2
This Moses,
whom they disowned,
saying:
‘who appointed you ruler and judge?
this one, God sent
as ruler and liberator
with the hand of the angel
who appeared to him in the bush.
This one lead them out
by doing wonders and signs
in Egypt
and at the Red Sea
and in the wilderness for forty years.
This is the Moses
who said to the Children of Israel
‘God will raise a prophet like me to you
from among your brothers.’3
This is the one
who was in the congregation
in the desert
with the angel
who spoke to him on Mount Sinai
and with our fathers
he received
living words
to give to you.