Homily Feast of Pius X (Ezekiel 37:1-14) “God Breaths Life and Gives Hope.”
Homily Feast of Pius X (Ezekiel 37:1-14) “God Breaths Life and Gives Hope.”
The Prophet Ezekiel uses very powerful symbols in his writing. We have an example in the reading from the liturgy of the word for today’s Mass.
Israel is in a hopeless situation. The nation was divided in two, then it was conquered by foreign powers and after that it the people were sent into exile. How could a country come back together after that?
The people of Israel truly like were like dead people whose bones were strewn on the ground to bleach in the sun. There seemed to be no life in them. All that was left was despair.
But then comes the vision that Ezekiel had. God takes him to the valley of the dry bones where he prophesizes a restoration of Israel. We can almost hear the clacking of the bones as they come back together. Muscles and sinews grow over the bones, flesh comes back on them.
Each individual person has life blown back in them. The nation is ready to rebuild its institutions and its culture. We know that Ezekiel’s prediction did come true. New life was breathed into a people that was lifeless.
Our country is in a great deal of turmoil right now. We wonder if we are going to survive the plague of the pandemic. We also wonder if we are going to be able to make it through the divisions that have become so deep in our society. Our situation is bad, but it is not as terrible as what the People of Israel faced.
Prophets always ended their predictions with hopeful messages. Christians are called to be hope filled. We know that God will always uphold us in the end. We know that we will rise on the last day to a new and more glorious existence just like the dry bones mentioned in Ezekiel. Let’s allow Ezekiel’s message to ruminate within us today.
Reflection Questions:
- What signs of hope do I notice in my life today? Could I share what I see with others?
- Do I keep the Gospel message in mind when I despair? What did Jesus say that uplifts me right now?
Dear Parishioners,
This is the fifth Friday of our nine Friday Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Are you making Fridays a special day of fasting and abstinence? We need to engage in acts of penance more than ever it seems.
During the last few days, the death toll has gone up in our community because of the Corona Virus. New cases are growing substantially. We need to take care of each other. One way to do that is by praying for each other.
Make this day a day to grow in holiness.
May Our Lady and All the Angels and Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark