“At this time in history, God was working to purify and cleanse the people of Israel from the lasting effects of several hundred years in Egypt.”

I believe the same thing is happening today among Western Christians, although we’re not literally being killed. God is setting before us life and death and telling us to chose. Some ignore God’s precepts by following the Religion of Relativism. Others try the Cafeteria approach used by Henry VIII and Martin Luther. Eventually the Life of Grace within them withers and dies. (individually and corporately)

Others are purified according to how soiled they have become by living in the world. God purifies many through the countercultural, yet authentic, practices of homeschooling and the raising of a large family. A clear illustration would be what is required of people with an alcohol addiction. They may never drink it again; which is obviously a radical purification.

Another illustration of God’s dramatic methods to purify, cleanse, and sanctify his people are the lives of Saints Augustine, Francis of Assisi, and Ignatius. We are not all called to ascetic lives of purity and poverty, however, in order to save those three souls and as an example to the rest of us, he slew the evil within them and radically altered their way of being.

“Zeal for your house consumes me”. Amen! Alleluia!