Word to the Wise
Friday, August 22, 2014 - Friday in the 20th Week in Ordinary Time
[Ezek 37:1-14 and Matt 22:34-40]"Prophesy over these bones, and say to them: Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: See! I will bring spirit into you, that you may come to life I will put sinews upon you, make flesh grow over you, cover you with skin, and put spirit in you so that you may come to life and know that I am the Lord."
AUGUST 22 THE QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Of all the vivid visions and actions of the great biblical prophets, Ezekiel's vision of the "dry bones" has to be one of the greatest! It is certainly my favorite. Find your Bible or misalet and read the whole passage! Try to visualize it in your mind! While it has a kind of "halloween-ish" character. with all those skeletons coming together, there is a profound message that can be both corporate and individual! [Some of us who are "older" will remember Tennessee Ernie Ford singing the "Dry Bones" song back in the 1950's!]
Ezekiel is offering a vision of the future to the Israelites languishing in exile in Babylonia. He is envisioning the restoration of the kingdom of Israel and trying to instill hope where there was little hope and lots of whining! "Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, and we are cut off!"
The early Christian community looked to this vision as a foretelling of the final resurrection. But the message is contemporary as well. We all have our "dry bones" days and times both personal and collective. A treasured cause may be dying for lack of interest. A personal hope may have been dashed. Profound depression may take place. We can see no way ahead - no "moving forward." Ezekiel grabs us by the shoulders and yells in our face: "Shall these bones live?" God promises these "bones" shall live if we trust in God and move forward. God will put flesh on the vision and spirit in our hearts! "I have promised, and I will do it, says the Lord." AMEN
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