Breaking the Word

19^th Week in Ord. Time, Friday – 16^th August 2024   — Ezekiel 16,1-15.60.63; Mt 19,3-12

Fulfilling God’s intent

Jesus’ teaching seems to be counter-cultural even in his own time. He affirms resolutely that marriage, as originally intended by God, was meant to be a permanent, life-long commitment. According to him, the unity of man and woman is a re-enactment of the design of God for creation. Divorce goes contrary to the design of the creator, and it is to be considered either rebellion against or failure to fulfill the will of God. Jesus emphasizes God’s intent “from the beginning,” that is, before sin entered the world.  His words imply that from the beginning God had it one way and never changed it, but then Moses gave another. And now I am going to restore the divine way. The believer should not fall into the trap of a culture that allows divorce for any reason. He should keep in mind the divine will of the creator and try to live life as God intended it.

19^th Week in Ord. Time, Wednesday – 14^thAugust 2024 – Ezekiel 9,1-7; 10,18-22; Mt 18,15-20

Absence of God’s Glory

Today’s first reading from the book of Ezekiel has two parts: Slaughter of idolaters (ch.9) and God’s glory leaves the Temple (ch.10). Both in using symbolic language and apocalyptic style God’s punishment is made known to individuals and community.  Because of the people’s sin of idolatry in the Temple, the punishment begins right at the entrance to the Temple where God’s people are, and begins with the eldest and excludes none – old men, youth and maidens, women and children. The temple is to become defiled with the corpses of people who are unclean. It does not matter because Yahweh is no longer there. In the second part, the prophet describes Yahweh leaving his sanctuary, riding as usual on the cherubim. It is a sign that even in destruction, God is to receive glory from everything that happens. God is never confined to one place. He is everywhere and we are urged to seek and find him in all things, in a pure form of worship.