“I WILL JUDGE EVERYONE ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS” (Ezek 18:30)

⏰Saturday of the Nineteenth Week of Ordinary Time 2 (18 August 2018)

📖Ezek 18:1-10, 13, 30-32; Ps 136; Matt 19:13-15

Remember that sometime ago, on the background of the prophecy of Ezekiel, we noted that the people were seeing their long suffering in exile as a punishment from God due to the sins of their forefathers. This kind of thought made them to begin to lose hope on God, thinking that the Lord has abandoned them. They also thought that their righteous living cannot change the mind of God. So Ezekiel came to restore their hope as well as set their feet aright in righteousness.

This prophecy in Ezek 18:1-32 is one way Ezekiel tried to accomplish that assignment. He reassured them that God is not interested in visiting the children with the sins of their fathers. Rather, if a wicked man turns from his evil and follows the status of God, he shall not die but live (Ezek 18:21-22). So Ezekiel invited the people to return to God and live (Ezek 18:32).

Nobody is excluded from this invitation to come back to God. In Matt 19:13-15, the disciples wanted to prevent the children from heeding that call but Jesus would not allow that to happen, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as them. In other words, even the helpless is very certain of gaining life through Christ.

What are we waiting for? Come, let us return to the Lord for he is merciful and kind. His love endures for ever (Ps 136). May God give us the grace to take that decisive step in coming back to him and be welcomed as his children. Amen.

Have a beautiful weekend ahead. Peace be with you.