Word to the Wise
Tuesday, August 12, 2014 - Tuesday in the 19th Week in Ordinary Time
[Ezek 2:8-3:4 and Matt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14]"Son of man, eat what is before you; eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of israel. So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat. Son of man, he then said to me, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you. I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. He said: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them." [Ezek.]
TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2014 TUESDAY IN THE NINETEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
[Ezekiel 2:8 - 3:4 and Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14]
"Son of man, eat what is before you; eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of israel. So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat. Son of man, he then said to me, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you. I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. He said: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them." [Ezek.]
I once gave a wall plaque to my dad that had the following prayer on it: "Lord, let my words be gracious and tender today, for tomorrow I may have to eat them!" Before Ezekiel eats the scroll, the Lord unrolls it and Ezekiel sees that the writing on it is about "lamentation, wailing and woe!" Yet, when he eats it, it tastes like "honey in my mouth." This image appears also in the Book of Revelation 10:9! It is certainly a graphic way to describe the vocation of the prophet!
Although the prophet would not have intended some eucharistic sense to his words, cannot help but note that consuming God's Word in both scripture and offerings is at the center of our worship. The area where we Catholics need improvement, however, is that of the Word. I am always impressed with the command my devout Protestant acquaintances have of the scripture. They would have been "fed" on it from their infancy! We Catholics would have "gone to Mass" and received the Body of the Lord but very little emphasis was given to consuming the "Word of the Lord." However, I experience in my own preaching ministry that there is a real hunger for that Word. It is one reason why I get up every morning and compose this reflection!
The Book of Deuteronomy tells us that the Word is very near to us, in our mouth and in our heart. But we must know what it is and read it regularly in the scriptures. Eventually it comes to mind without our realizing it. We will have eaten our fill and can speak God's Word. AMEN
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