| February 15th, 2008
Readings
Ezekiel 18:21-28
[Ps. 130:1-8]
Matthew 5:20-26
“Into Great Silence” is the name of a movie. It is set in a Carthusian monastery high up in the French Alps. The Carthusians are the most austere order in the Church. Not too many of us could live the life they live. It is marked by almost total silence.
The movie quotes these memorable words God spoke to the prophet Elijah in the cave at Horeb.
“Go outside, …the Lord will be passing by. Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountain apart…but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came fire but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire came a gentle whisper.” (I Kings 19:11-13)
The reason the Carthusians devote their lives to such an extreme observance of silence is to alert the senses to God’s presence, a presence which is often manifested in the silence of a gentle whisper. One elderly monk who had given his life to this discipline was asked: “Are you afraid to die?” He replied calmly, “No! Not at all. After all these years of seeking the Lord in silence, I now feel the desire to rush and embrace him.”
That is so unlike the way most of us think. We may love the Lord. But we fear death at least as much.
Lent is described as a journey. We begin this journey by being reminded that we are dust and to dust we shall return. But we make this journey every year. Familiarity breeds complacency so we may be tempted to think of Lent as merely part of a cycle which comes around each year. But it is not a cycle. It is more like a spiral – drawing us closer and closer to the moment when we draw our last breath. It is a journey taking us through the grace of life to the glory of eternal life.
In his message for Lent this year the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, begins by saying that Lent offers us an opportunity to deepen the meaning and the value of our lives. His main focus is on the Lenten custom of almsgiving. So he reminds us that we are but stewards of the goods we possess. He reminds us that our good works must offer the bright light of good example to others so that God’s glory may shine forth through us.
He reminds us that there is more joy in giving than in receiving. He reminds us too of the spiritual benefits of almsgiving. As it is written, “Charity covers a multitude of sins.” (I Peter 4:8)
He frames his message, though, with the idea that Lent is a process of interior renewal. It is a way of inward cleansing.
When it comes to that inward cleansing, scripture can be our spiritual medicine. We hear tonight from the Prophet Ezekiel,
“Thus says the Lord, If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed, if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just, he shall surely live, he shall not die.” (Ezekiel 18:21)
Now there is much discussion here about the Prophet’s emphasis on the responsibility of the individual. The responsibility of each individual, of each of us, for our action is critical for Ezekiel.
More broadly though he is issuing a warning. He is warning about a calamity to come and the need to avoid it. He speaks of the destruction in prospect and of the way how to avoid it. We know the sad story. His warning was not heeded. The people strayed from their principles and foundations. They were divided, weakened, defeated and reduced to servitude by hostile neighbours.
This sad chapter of Salvation History is known as the Exile. Later, however, Ezekiel raised their spirits. He spoke of Restoration - using the image of dry bones coming back to life again. But when Ezekiel says, “If the wicked man turns away from sin he shall surely live, he shall not die…” this is also a form of examination of conscience.
In this way it is similar to three other texts which we must listen to as well.
First, there is Psalm 15.
Lord who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy mountain?
Whoever walks without blame,
doing what is right,
speaking truth from the heart;
Who does not slander a neighbor,
does no harm to another,
never defames a friend;
Who disdains the wicked,
but honors those who fear the Lord;
lends no money at interest,
accepts no bribe against the innocent.
Whoever acts like this shall never be shaken.
Next, we have the words of Isaiah 33:14-16.
On Zion sinners are in dread,
trembling grips the impious:
“Who of us can live with the consuming fire?”
He who practices virtue and speaks honestly,
who spurns what is gained by oppression,
Brushing his hands free of contact with a bribe,
stopping his ears lest he hear of bloodshed,
closing his eyes lest he look on evil –
He shall dwell on the heights,
his stronghold shall be the rocky fastness,
his food and drink in steady supply.
Then, we have those unforgettable words of Micah 6:8.
You have been told, O man, what is good,
and what the Lord requires of you:
Only to do the right and to have goodness,
and to walk humbly with your God.
In speaking of the conversion of the sinner, in stirring up a sincere examination of conscience, Ezekiel is reflecting on the Law of the Lord. That Law of the Lord is captured for us in the Ten Commandments.
Over the past four nights Msgr. Moss has very ably and wisely elaborated on them for us. He has shared with us deep insights into the Ten Commandments. They are our code of Conduct. They are our code of Behaviour. They are our code of Ethics. They are our code of Life. When we stray from them bad things happen. When we ignore or violate them we fall from Exodus to Exile. When we remain faithful to them we remain true to who we are and who we are called to become.
Msgr. Moss had us recite the words on this purple sheet. It is an adoption of a Jewish prayer known as The Shema. (Deuteronomy.6:4-9, 11:13-21, Numbers 15:37-41)
“Hear O Bahamas, the Lord our God is one Lord;
and you shall love the Lord, your God
with all your soul,
and with all your might.
And these words which I command this day
shall be upon your heart;
And you shall teach them
diligently to your children,
and you shall talk of them
when you sit in your house
and when you walk by the way
and when you lie down,
and when you rise.
And you shall bind them upon your hand
and they shall be as frontlets before your eyes
and you shall write them on the doorposts
of your house
and on your gates.”
(Deuteronomy 6:4-8)
It is really a Jewish profession of faith. It was to remind the people of the commandments…of who they were…and it was to be recited often. It is, you might say, a reflection on The Commandments. It was a handy summary of God’s law. It was intended to shed light on God’s Law.
In the Gospel we find Jesus shedding new light on the Law. He says: “You have heard it said, you shall not kill…But I say whoever is angry with his brother is liable to judgment.” (Matthew 5:21)
Jesus identifies anger in our hearts as the origin of violence.
He is awakening in us the realization that the law is not merely a letter for us to observe but the movement of conversion which must enter and fill and transform our hearts and our lives, and our communities.
Later in the Gospel he will express it as the Great Commandment of Love: Love of God and Love of Neighbour.
Beloved, we have been here for five nights. We have given of our time these five nights. Are we walking away with nothing? Not at all! We have gathered together to make a good start to the season of Lent.
Let us now put out into the deep. Let us put out, not only into the rest of this season but let us plumb the depth of our hearts. Let us search our deepest motivations. Let us continue to examine our consciences. Let us engage those critical questions about:
our families,
our relationships,
our social responsibility,
our work ethic,
our honesty,
our kindness,
our respect for others and for ourselves.
Let us challenge ourselves about what we are doing with our lives and how we need to do better. Let us initiate that most uncomfortable, interior, conversion and ask: After all these years of hearing the Gospel is my heart still mission territory? After all these years of going to church, if I met Christ would I recognize him? Would I want to recognize him or rather just slip off and escape his presence? Would he recognize me? What would he say to me?
Lent is a journey. Like any journey it requires that we know our destination, pack our bags and say our goodbyes. Our destination is that conversion of heart of which Ezekiel speaks and which Jesus expects of us. The only baggage we need is the Gospel to guide us. As for our goodbyes, we must resolve to part company with all those habits and attitudes, people and places which distract us from our true and highest purpose.
Lent is an opportunity for us to deepen the meaning and value of our life. We know what to do. We have reflected on The Commandments for a week. We have heard the words of Ezekiel. We have heard the words of Jesus. Let us then be on our way. Let us be about this business of goodness and righteousness and godliness which Lent demands of us.
Let us recall the words of Paul to the Corinthians which greeted us at the start of this season. “Now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation.”
God bless you all this Lent. May we journey together in hope until we gather to celebrate Easter with joy.
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