A Lectio Divina Approach to the Sunday Liturgy
BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD (Series 6, n. 41)
23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A – September 7, 2008
“The Sentinel Prophet”
BIBLE READINGS
Ez 33:7-9 // Rom 13:8-10 // Mt 18:15-20
(N.B. Series 6 of BREAKING THE BREAD OF THE WORD: A LECTIO DIVINA APPROACH TO THE SUNDAY LITURGY includes a prayerful study of the Sunday liturgy of Year A from the perspective of the First Reading. For another set of reflections on the Sunday liturgy of Year A, please go to the PDDM Web Archives: WWW.PDDM.US and open Series 3.)
I. BIBLICO-LITURGICAL REFLECTIONS
One of the most forceful and challenging texts in the Bible is this Sunday’s Old Testament reading (Ez 33:7-9), which is a call to personal accountability on behalf of the community. The priest Ezekiel who ministered at the Jerusalem temple was tasked by God to speak to his erring people and spell out their sins. Taken captive to Babylon in 597 or 596 B.C. at the same time as King Jehoiachin of Judah, Ezekiel was designated by God as a “sentinel prophet” – as a “watchman for the house of Israel”. He lived among other Judean captives in Babylon and presumably died there. His pastoral mission to God’s covenant people was extremely important; at stake were the life of the people and the survival of the nation. As God’s designated “sentinel prophet”, Ezekiel could not afford to be timid, unmindful or indifferent. He had to speak and confront the unfaithful people. Silence in this case would be disastrous and failure to proclaim God’s word would result in death and other dreadful consequences.
The biblical scholar Toni Craven remarks: “Ezekiel, like the other classical Old Testament prophets, is a passionate uncompromising spokesperson for God. He announces words of judgment and encouragement to his particular community as it faces a crisis in its religious and political existence. Ezekiel makes the sixth-century Jewish community in Judah and Babylon mindful of its false hope in Jerusalem and its false despair after the fall of the city in 587 B.C. (…) Ezekiel calls for individual responsibility, repentance, and submission to the sovereignty of God … He does give voice to a poetic vision of a community restored, for the sake of the divine name, to a new national identity in a new and restored Israel. (…) Ezekiel has the responsibility of declaring to the wicked their sins (Ez 33:8-9). If he fails to do so, the wicked will receive punishment for their misdeeds, and his own life will be required. Ezekiel’s warning and judgments are designed to lead Israel to the knowledge that God stands ready to forgive those who have turned from their wicked ways.”
Just as the “sentinel prophet” Ezekiel was ordered to speak out in order to bring an erring people to conversion, the Christian of today is called to be a “sentinel prophet” like him. The Church – the community of Christian disciples – is called to declare “hard truths” and to mediate God’s reconciliation and forgiveness through fraternal correction.
Martin Connell explains: “The prophets were not merely proclaiming consolation and hope as they mediated the words of God to the nation. They also spoke hard truths to the people about how they had broken the covenant, the law, and the word of the Lord. Both the consolations and the indictments that the prophets proclaimed were the word of God. In our times and places, there are those who speak the hard truths and measure human failings against the grandeur that God has granted us in baptism. In this they do for the Church what Ezekiel did for the nation of Israel. (…) Mere membership does not allow us to ignore our vocations to heed God’s word; rather, baptism makes us sentinels like Ezekiel.”
In this year of St. Paul, we relish the inspiring words he gives us: “Love does no evil to the neighbors; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:10). Fraternal correction done in a spirit of “loving kindness” is an example of how the law of perfect charity is being fulfilled to heal, build and unite the community of Christian believers.
With regards to fraternal correction, the authors of the Days of the Lord, vol. 4, explicate: “The parable of the lost sheep (Mt 18: 10-14) immediately precedes Jesus’ words on charitable correction. The art of reprimand is certainly among the most difficult and the most delicate; yet this is no reason for us to evade our duty. To withhold assistance from a person in moral danger is a serious sin. (…) Charitable correction is inspired by mercy and must be done with tactfulness and humility … We know that only God’s grace can change hearts and effect conversion … An initial failure must not discourage us. We must model our behavior on God’s trust and patience.”
The following excerpt from the document, “The Challenge of Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship”, issued by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in November 2007, illustrates what it means to be a “sentinel prophet” in the world today. The Bishops speak out against the sinful situations of the society and at the same time offer guidelines toward a well-formed conscience that is in consonance with truth.
Our nation faces political challenges that demand urgent moral choices. We are a nation at war, with all of its human costs; a country often divided by race and ethnicity; a nation of immigrants struggling with immigration. We are an affluent society where too many live in poverty; part of a global community confronting terrorism and facing urgent threats to our environment; a culture built on families, where some now question the value of marriage and family life. We pride ourselves on supporting human rights, but we fail even to protect the fundamental right to life, especially for unborn children.
We bishops seek to help Catholics form their consciences in accordance with the truth, so they can make sound moral choices in addressing these challenges. We do not tell Catholics how to vote. The responsibility to make political choices rests in each person and his or her properly formed conscience. (…)
At times Catholics may choose different ways to respond to social problems, but we cannot differ on our obligation to protect human life and dignity and help build through moral means a more and just peaceful world. There are things we must never do, as individuals or society, because they are always incompatible with love of God and neighbor. These intrinsically evil acts must always be rejected and never supported. A preeminent example is the intentional taking of human life through abortion. It is always morally wrong to destroy innocent human beings. A legal system that allows the right to life to be violated on the grounds of choice is fundamentally flawed. Similarly, direct threats to the dignity of human life such as euthanasia, human cloning, and destructive research on human embryos are also intrinsically evil and must be opposed. Other assaults on human life and dignity, such as genocide, torture, racism and the targeting of noncombatants in acts of terror or war, can never be justified. Disrespect for any human life diminishes respect for all human life. (…)
Opposition to intrinsically evil acts also prompts us to recognize our positive duty to contribute to the common good and act in solidarity with those in need. Both opposing evil and doing good are essential … The basic right to life implies and is linked to other human rights to the goods that every person needs to live and thrive – including food, shelter, health care, education and meaningful work. The use of the death penalty, hunger, lack of health care or housing, human trafficking, the human and moral costs of war, and unjust immigration policies are some of the moral issues that challenge our consciences and require us to act. (…)
In light of Catholic teaching, as bishops we rigorously repeat our call for a renewed politics that focuses on moral principles, the defense of life, the needs of the weak, and the pursuit of the common good. This kind of political participation reflects the social teachings of our Church and the best traditions of our nation.
II. POINTS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE HEART
What was God’s command to Ezekiel and the mission entrusted to him? Does the response of Ezekiel to God’s command inspire you? Why was his pastoral mission to God’s covenant people as a “sentinel prophet” important?
As members of the Church, a community of reconciled and reconciling community, how do you carry out the pastoral mission of being a “sentinel prophet” in our society today? What are the sinful situations and evil tendencies in our society that we need to overcome and transform?
Do you agree with St. Paul that “Love does no evil to the neighbors; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom 13:10)? Do you carry out the pastoral mission as a “sentinel prophet with “loving kindness”? What are the sacrifices you have made to bring an erring person to conversion and close to God?
III. PRAYING WITH THE WORD
Leader: O loving Father,
we thank you for the priest Ezekiel
and his pastoral mission to be a “sentinel prophet”.
He dutifully reminded the Jewish people
of the meaning of faithfulness and justice.
He declared openly their evil ways
and called them to conversion.
He could not be silent nor ignore your word.
The “sentinel prophet” Ezekiel
is a figure of Jesus Christ
who touched the festering wounds of our wickedness
in order that we may be converted and healed.
Our Lord Jesus taught us
how to deal with our personal sinfulness
as well as the sin and failures of our brothers and sisters.
May we learn from Ezekiel and Jesus
how to be a “sentinel prophet” in today’s world.
Teach us to keep our integrity
by speaking out against evil.
Help us to carry out fraternal correction
in a spirit of “loving kindness”.
With St. Paul,
may we truly experience
that loving forgiveness fulfills your divine command
and that it is our destiny to share your infinite glory,
now and forever.
Assembly: Amen.
IV. INTERIORIZATION OF THE WORD
The following is the bread of the living Word that will nourish us throughout the week. Please memorize it.
“You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel.” (Ez 33:7)
V. TOWARDS LIFE TRANSFORMATION
ACTION PLAN: Pray for the grace and strength needed by “sentinel prophets” of today. Read the documents issued by the Church on various social issues. In any way you can promote the various areas of Christian concern: right to life and the dignity of the human person; the call to family, community and participation, rights and responsibilities; option for the poor and vulnerable; dignity of work and the rights of workers; solidarity; and caring for God’s creation.
ACTION PLAN: That we may appreciate the meaning and challenge of being today’s “sentinel prophet”, make an effort to spend an hour in Eucharistic Adoration. Visit the PDDM WEB site (www.pddm.us) for the EUCHARISTIC ADORATION THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR: A Weekly Pastoral Tool (Year A, # 41).
Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang PDDM
PIAE DISCIPULAE DIVINI MAGISTRI
SISTER DISCIPLES OF THE DIVINE MASTER
60 Sunset Ave., Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel. (718) 494-8597 // (718) 761-2323
Website: WWW.PDDM.US