Ezekiel Receives His Mission

 "Listen then, son of man, to what I say, and don't be a rebel among rebels.  Open your mouth and take in what I'M about to say.

I looked and saw a hand stretched out in front of me holding a scroll.  HE unrolled it before me; on both sides were written lamentations, groaning and woes.

HE said to me. 'Son of man, eat what is given to you.  Eat this scroll and then go; speak to the people of Israel.'  I opened my mouth and HE made me eat the scroll; and then HE said to me, 'Eat and fill yourself with this scroll that I'M giving you.'  I ate it; and it tasted as sweet as honey.

He said, 'Son of man, go to the Israelites; speak to them with MY words." - Ezekiel 2:8-3:4

(This is similar to what has been expressed by earlier prophets.  When the LORD sent Isaiah, HE told him only about the counter-productive effect of his mission: the people will become hardened.  In Ezekiel's case, there is more optimism: sent to rebels, he must be firmer and more persistent that they are to break through the shell of their hardened hearts.  In fact, Ezekiel will be constantly arguing and fighting.  Paul will say later that those who evangelize must teach whether the time is right or not [2 Timothy 4:2] without ever losing heart.

Eat this scroll.  The vision of the scroll symbolically describes the call from YAHWEH, giving Ezekiel his mission.

Fill yourself with this scroll that I'M giving you.  The prophet is not a parrot that repeats words dropped from heaven: he has been given a global view of events, an understanding of the meaning of history.  He is possessed with fury, which is the fury of GOD against sin.  All this is signified by the scroll [such were the ancient books] which he had to eat.

For several years Ezekiel gives only predictions of death.  This explains why the book centers on woes and lamentations.

It tasted as sweet as honey.  Ezekiel eats these predictions of misfortune which seem sweet to him: the prophet has taken YAHWEH's side and he totally accepts HIS plans, however terrible they may seem to the people.  In sharing YAHWEH 's anger, Jeremiah kept his human heart and he suffered because of the suffering of HIS people.  Ezekiel, on the contrary, does not feel torn.

Thus, with the examples of several prophets, Scripture shows us how GOD's Word separates believers from their own people [Matthew 10:34].  All who are called to speak to others or lead them, begin to experience this conflict.  They do not say what people want to hear, nor are they disturbed by the complaints of cowards, and of the comfortable who ask to be left alone to live the way they want.  It will always be hard to lose the security we have from agreeing with everyone else.  True believers willingly take GOD's side, which means, at times, going against the grain.)

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JESUS Announced HIS Death

 "While JESUS was in Galilee with the Twelve, HE said to them, 'The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill HIM.  But HE will rise on the third day.'  The Twelve were deeply grieved." - Matthew 17:22-23

(Several times  JESUS announced HIS death: see 16:21; 20:17.  Never did HE present it as a misfortune that might counteract HIS mission.  John will say that JESUS looked for it as the means for giving glory to HIS FATHER and reconciling humankind [John 17].  JESUS speaks of HIMSELF in the third person: the Son of Man, because HE looks at HIS destiny as an outsider.  This is the will of HIS FATHER, and HE is not concerned about HIMSELF.)

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Why Have The Jews Not Believed?

 "I tell you, sincerely, in CHRIST, and my conscience assures me in the Holy Spirit, that I am not lying: I have great sadness and constant anguish for the Jews.  I would even desire, that, I myself, suffer the curse of being cut off from CHRIST, instead of my brethren: I mean, my own people, my kin.  They are Israelites, whom GOD adopted, and on them, rests HIS glory.  Theirs, are the Covenants, the law, the worship and the promises of GOD.  They are descendants of the patriarchs, and from their race, CHRIST was born, HE, who, as GOD, is above all distinctions.  Blessed be HE forever and ever: Amen!" - Romans 9:1-5

(Paul, being a Jew, shares the worries of the few Jews who have believed in CHRIST.  Why did the chosen people not recognize their Savior?  If they were a chosen nation, why were so few selected?

It is the same worry of Catholic families when their children do not go to church or when teenagers declare they have lost their faith.  It is the same uneasiness we feel in the course of a mission: those who habitually go to church are perhaps the hardest to lead to conversion and are the ones that most obstruct the evangelization of outsiders.

Faith is not transmitted in heritage from father to son, mother to daughter.  There have certainly been times and cultural systems where a whole nation followed the same religion and apparently shared the same faith.  The Book of Acts shows how on several occasions the conversion of the head of the family brought about the baptism of the whole household [Acts 11:14; 16:33].  Faith however will always be a grace of GOD.  In our days people have acquired complete autonomy and live in a world where all beliefs meet: faith can no longer be a family possession.)

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All Things Are Possible For One Who Believes

When they came to the crowd, a man approached JESUS, knelt before HIM and said, 'Sir, have pity on my son, who is an epileptic and suffers terribly.  He has often fallen into the fire, and at other times into the water.  I brought him to your disciples but they could not heal him.'

JESUS replied, 'O you people, faithless and misled!  How long must I put up with you?  Bring him here to ME.'  And JESUS commanded the evil spirit to leave the boy, and the boy was immediately healed.

Later, the disciples approached JESUS and asked HIM privately, 'Why couldn't we drive out the spirit?'  JESUS said to them, 'Because you have little faith.  I say to you: if only you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could tell that mountain to move from here to there, and the mountain would obey.  Nothing would be impossible for you.'" - Matthew 17:14-20 

(All things are possible for one who believes.  JESUS has gone back to the crowd and again HE meets with human unbelief.  The prayer of the child's father would be a model for all Christian prayer.  If we turn to GOD in prayer, it is because we have faith; and yet in doing this we discover the poverty and the fragility of our faith.)

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Whoever Chooses To Save His Life Will Lose It

"Then JESUS said to HIS disciples, 'If you want to follow ME, deny yourself.  Take up your cross and follow ME.  For whoever chooses to save his life will lose it, but the one who loses his life, for MY sake, will find it.  What will one gain by winning the whole world, if he destroys his soul?  Or what can a person give, in exchange for his life?

Know, that the Son of Man will come, in the glory of HIS FATHER with the holy angels, and HE will reward each one according to his deeds.  Truly, I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death, before they see the Son of Man coming in HIS kingdom.'" - Matthew 16:24-28 

The Way Of The Cross

(Whoever chooses to save his life will lose it.  JESUS draws attention to the great option of every human life: we cannot discover GOD; we cannot make a success of life without sacrificing it.  All the rest is idle talk.  The option terrifies us in the same measure that life for us seems promising.  It is also the reason why marriage and family frighten many.

Christian freedom and happiness are found only in the joyous acceptance of the will of GOD which invites us to listen to HIS Son and follow HIM down the road and paths that HE traveled.

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"This Is MY Beloved Son, This Is MY Chosen One."

"Indeed, what we taught you about the power, and the return of CHRIST JESUS our LORD, was not drawn from myths or formulated theories.  We, ourselves, were eyewitnesses of HIS majesty, when HE received glory and honor from GOD, the FATHER, when, from the magnificent glory, this most extraordinary word came upon HIM: 'This is MY beloved Son, this is MY Chosen One.'  We, ourselves, heard this voice from heaven, when we were with HIM on the holy mountain.

Therefore, we believe most firmly in the message of the prophets, which you should consider rightly, as a lamp shining in a dark place, until the break of day, when the Morning Star shines in your hearts." - 2 Peter 1:16-19 

(What we taught you... was not drawn from myths or formulated theories.  Faith is not based on reasons and theories.  We believe in what the apostles saw and in the prophets' words.  It is true that through the centuries the understanding of the consequences of faith has developed, situating it within the realities of life; there has also been a constant effort to express what faith is in the language of our day.  Nevertheless we continue holding and believing the mystery of CHRIST in the way the apostles believed and understood it.

The Morning Star.  This refers to CHRIST [see Revelation 22:16].)

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The Faith Of The Canaanite Woman

"Leaving that place, JESUS withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  A Canaanite woman from the area, came and cried out, 'LORD, Son of David, have pity on me!  My daughter is tormented by a demon.'  But JESUS did not answer her, not even a word.  So HIS disciples approached HIM and said, 'Send her away!  See how she is shouting after us.'

Then JESUS said to her, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the nation of Israel.'

But the woman was already kneeling before JESUS, and said, 'Sir, help me!'  JESUS answered, 'It is not right to take the bread from the children and throw it to puppies.'  The woman replied, 'That is true, sir, but even puppies eat the crumbs which fall from their master's table.'  Then JESUS said, 'Woman, how great is your faith!  Let it be as you wish.'  And her daughter was healed at that moment." - Matthew 15:21-28 

(The Jews usually looked down on pagans with marked contempt: they were the sons, the pagans were the dogs.  JESUS answered the afflicted woman repeating this well-known scornful saying.  HE said this to test the woman's faith: would she insist when it appeared that even GOD would reject her?

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Prayer For Renewal

"O YAHWEH, the nations will revere YOUR name, and the kings of the earth YOUR glory,

when YAHWEH will rebuild Zion and appear in all HIS splendor.

For HE will answer the prayer of the needy and will not despise their plea.

Let this be written for future ages, 'YAHWEH will be praised by a people HE will form.'

From HIS holy height in heaven, YAHWEH has looked on the earth to hear the groaning of the prisoners, and free those condemned to death.

Then the name of YAHWEH will be declared in Zion, and HIS praise in Jerusalem,

when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship HIM."

- Psalm 102:16-23

(The psalmist experiences psychological and bodily disintegration.  This pathetic expression of grief  suddenly changes into a confident prayer for GOD's protection on Zion, HIS holy city.  So, we suffer with all who suffer in the Church--while being certain, that the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

The LORD indeed freed those condemned to death when JESUS cried out again in a loud voice and gave up HIS spirit [Matthew 27:50].  At that time, 'tombs were opened and several holy people who had died were raised to life' [Matthew 27:52].  Therefore, unlike the Psalmist who seems very hurt and afflicted, let us rejoice and give thanks and book our place in heaven.)

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First Miracle Of The Loaves

"When JESUS hear of it, HE set out by boat for a secluded place, to be alone.  But the people heard of it, and they followed HIM on foot from their towns.  When JESUS went ashore, HE saw the crowd gathered there, and HE had compassion on them.  And HE healed their sick.

Late in the afternoon, HIS disciples came to HIM and said, 'We are in a lonely place and it is now late.  YOU should send these people away, so that they can go to the villages and buy something for themselves to eat.'

But JESUS replied, 'They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat.'  They answered, 'We have nothing here but five loaves and two fishes.'  JESUS said to them, 'Bring them here to ME.'

Then HE made everyone sit down on the grass.  HE took the five loaves and the two fishes, raised HIS eyes to heaven, pronounced the blessing, broke the loaves, and handed them to the disciples to distribute to the people.  And they all ate, and everyone had enough; then the disciples gathered up the leftovers, filling twelve baskets.  About five thousand men had eaten there, besides women and children." - Matthew 14:13-21 

(Scripture says that from the mouth of GOD comes bread, and the word that we need [Deuteronomy 8:3].  By the act of giving bread, JESUS demonstrates that HIS words are GOD's words.  GOD gives bread to HIS people [Exodus 16; Psalm 72:16; Psalm 81:17; Psalm 132:15; 147:14].

They sat in fresh pastures and they ate till they were satisfied.  The crowd seated for a meal is the image of the Reign when JESUS will unite all of humanity in the fraternal banquet of GOD [Luke 14:15].

Raising HIS eyes to heaven.  By using this gesture, rather than a prayer that saints or prophets might have said on this occasion, JESUS expresses HIS personal relationship with the FATHER.

JESUS is the bread needed by humanity [John 6].  GOD has set on this earth all that humanity needs for food and development, but if we do not know how to listen to the word, we will not know how to solve the world's most urgent problem, the distribution of the riches of the earth.  Faith in GOD's promises is the only force with which to fight against egoism and unequal privileges, and it will eventually obtain food, peace, and freedom for all.

Because of this, JESUS had compassion for this crowd whose leaders had little concern for them.  Without bothering about food, this crowd sat listening to HIM while HE conveyed to them the word of GOD that liberates people from blindness and emptiness.  Then, being the Shepherd and the True Bread of Life, HE gave them food and distributed it.)

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Why Spend Money On What Is Not Food And Labor For What Does Not Satisfy?

"Come here, all you who are thirsty, come to the water!

All who have no money, come!

Yes, without money and at no cost, buy and drink wine and milk.

Why spend money on what is not food and labor for what does not satisfy?  Listen to ME, and you will eat well; you will enjoy the richest of fare.

Incline your ear and come to ME; listen, that your soul may live.  I will make with you an everlasting Covenant, I will fulfill in you MY promises to David." - Isaiah 55:1-3 

(The book ends with a call to hope.  Are you not tired of the happiness you thought you would easily get in the place of exile?

GOD is the one who always gives first.  HE only hopes that we will open the door for HIM.  JESUS will offer us rest [Matthew 11:28]; HE will give us the bread of life [John 6] and will give HIMSELF as "the" friend [Revelation 3:20].)

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