August 14, 2010
Memorial of Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, priest and martyr
Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways, says the Lord GOD. Turn and be converted from all your crimes, that they may be no cause of guilt for you. Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, says the Lord GOD. Return and live! Ezekiel 18:30-32
"Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14
Piety
A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast spirit. Do not drive me from your presence, nor take from me your holy spirit. Restore my joy in your salvation; sustain in me a willing spirit. I will teach the wicked your ways, that sinners may return to you. Rescue me from death, God, my saving God, that my tongue may praise your healing power. Lord, open my lips; my mouth will proclaim your praise. For you do not desire sacrifice; a burnt offering you would not accept. My sacrifice, God, is a broken spirit; God, do not spurn a broken, humbled heart. Psalm 51:12-19
Study
Remember in school when the teacher or the librarian or the principal knew someone did something wrong but did not know exactly who did the deed? If you are like me, you hated the outcome…the whole class would get punished. Maybe we had to skip recess or were the last class dismissed to go home. But because no one would “tattle” on the offender, everyone got the same punishment.
In the Hebrew Bible, God had a reputation of doing out punishment across generations. But Ezekiel preached that such a system was changing. However, there were conditions placed upon the actions of the members of the community in order to benefit from such mercy. Instead of listing a series of “thou shalt not” statements, the prophet Ezekiel listed virtuous actions which were expected of us.
If a man is virtuous--if he does what is right and just, if he does not eat on the mountains, nor raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; if he does not defile his neighbor's wife, nor have relations with a woman in her menstrual period; if he oppresses no one, gives back the pledge received for a debt, commits no robbery; if he gives food to the hungry and clothes the naked; if he does not lend at interest nor exact usury; if he holds off from evildoing, judges fairly between a man and his opponent; if he lives by my statutes and is careful to observe my ordinances, that man is virtuous--he shall surely live, says the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 18:5-9
Each one of us are accountable for our own actions. Not only that, but future generations are not accountable for our actions. Children are blameless and Jesus welcomes them into his company.
Action
We have to want to change. As the Psalmist writes, we have to ask the Lord to “create in me a clean heart.” If we want to begin to live in the kingdom of heaven, then we have to be as innocent as the children who were coming to sit with the Lord.
What change do you want to see in your life? We may not be asked to sacrifice our lives in a Nazi prison camp like St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe. However, we are asked to sacrifice money and treasure or offer up our talents for the sake of others. What are you planning to sacrifice today before the altar of the Lord?
