One of the principal longings of the Holy Spirit and a sure sign of his presence is that he wishes to unite us in truth and holiness. In today’s first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel, God declares that he would save and renew the chosen people who had been dispersed and scattered through the centuries, split into the Northern and Southern kingdoms, and unite them once again under a new covenant.
There are so many pertinent and sublime things to delve into regarding the various covenants throughout salvation history, but suffice it to say that God established pacts, familial oaths… promises which inspire hope, and a love so powerful it could only be expressed as a bond—that he would be a God to his people like a Father with his children, or like a husband with a wife as when through Hosea he declares himself Israel’s husband or, now in the new covenant how Paul likened the Church as being Jesus’ bride; that he would be faithful but would also call for fidelity in return, because this is how relationships not only survive, but grow. He made such pacts with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and finally like we just alluded to, through the new and everlasting covenant accomplished and ratified in the blood of Christ—his Passion, Death and Resurrection who laid down his life for his bride, the Church, which is all of us. What joy and honour and privilege my brothers and sisters, that we are living in the new covenant thanks to our precious Lord Jesus and how he shares his very life and essence with us through his Body and Blood!
The thing that shocks us still today and caught them very off guard back then, was that God himself empties himself in coming down from Heaven so as to save his people and unite and strengthen them, only this time in a definitive manner bearing gifts of everlasting life. No more pain. No more tears. No more death. However first he'd have to shiver in the cold. First he'd have to know the bitter sorrow of losing a loved one. First he'd have to undergo bitter rejection, handed over to sinners who would mock him, scourge him, crown him with thorns, and sentence him to death -- death on a cross. The everlasting peace and bliss and happiness that all the atheists point to as a proof of God if he is said to be omnibenevolent and omnipotent would come to be offered to us, but what they overlook is what it "cost" God. They ask why God hasn’t created this world perfect if he is who the definition of God purports him to be. Why not create us to live in bliss and without death? What they're not willing to accept is that He has, but this world is not it and to get us there, to make it possible, he himself tasted the bitterness of death for our sake so that whoever acknowledges it, repents and is baptized, proves himself a friend and thereby an heir to an eternity with him. In conquering death he conquered what scripture calls his final enemy and won for us an offer of salvation. He redeemed humanity, but salvation is another story because salvation involves our part. Redemption was his part, and even in that he has made us partakers since whatever we suffer in our own lives we can unite to the sufferings of Christ transmuting our pain from tragic circumstances to a suffering united to the Redeemer's thereby becoming redemptive. This is the world we call Heaven! Bliss, yes! But born as it were from the birthpangs of united suffering.
Heaven can begin here in ways, albeit very imperfectly and limited, through the love Jesus asked us to extend to each other and even to our enemies. In other words, to love everybody is one of the first prerequisites for being ready for an eternity in Heaven.
In the meanwhile, back to our readings for today, we see that this reunification of the twelve tribes of Israel is a frequent element of messianic prophecy and we can only imagine with what yearning Jesus’ contemporary Jews desired a leader to strengthen and unite them against the oppression and might of the Romans. They had known through the prophecies that the leader would be a messiah (a saviour), yet they weren’t quite comprehending him to be God Almighty who would descend from heaven to save them.
For this reason we run into the consternation of the Jews due to his words, but most of all, at his calling himself the great “I Am.” The Child who was to be born, would be, as Isaiah had accurately foretold, the “Mighty God” (9:6) among us—the great Emmanuel (God is with us) Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23. We should note that Isaiah did not say “a” mighty god, so as to leave no room for misinterpretation, or the idea that there are several gods. This is the One and True God, who by Saint Anselm’s famous definition is “that being than which none greater can be imagined.” This is the Mighty God who was born in our midst and who again will return to the earth a second time on the last day and this time in power and glory to judge the living and the dead:
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thes 4:16
Do we not in some way also dream of the unification of all Christians, which would make us such a formidable force for evil to contend with? Unitatis redintegratio begins with this declaration: “The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council” (Art 1). Sometimes we get a little reminder of the need to be bearers of truth and peace to all, especially our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Peace, as Saint Francis is commonly known for, and making us instruments of unity. Again, our Protestant brothers and sisters need to be patiently accompanied, and not written off. Truth cannot be the bomb we drop on others and then run. We need to take a person’s hand and walk with them until they’re able to see, embrace and join us in trying to live what those truths will imply.
A Catholic who enjoys the fullness of the truth given to him/her by Christ is in no way more advanced than a non-Catholic unless they’re living that truth. Our Lord reminds us that “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” Luke 12:48. We’ve been given to understand, and believe, and accept and support with Sacred Scripture and Tradition the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother for example, yet what good will that gift do us, unless we too make an effort to live sinless lives? What good will it do us unless we too make it a continual habit to thank and praise the Lord for having done great things for us? If dogmas are just put on a shelf to collect dust, they’ll have served us no good at all, and our Lord will ask us to account for gifts that were taken for granted.
In the Old Testament, the prophecies indicated five essential elements of this unification under the new covenant through the Anointed One:
- It’s God would be Yahweh, never to be replaced by false gods or idols;
•Israel, would be his people;
•The Holy Land would figure prominent;
•The Temple would be renewed as a sign of the presence of the Lord and law;
• and “David,” (a descendant from his throne which God promised would be established forever since David died long before Ezekiel was born, for example) would shepherd over them. The figure of David was always held to be a messianic name for the Anointed One to eventually succeed him, yet reign forever. The reading today says:“I shall gather them together from everywhere and bring them home to their own soil” Ezekiel 11:17.
Of course, God intended to fulfil this through Christ, who himself is the Second Person of the Godhead. We have an unwitting prophecy made by the high priest Caiaphas in this regard when we hear him say in today’s gospel that Jesus was about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only (the apostle adds), but “to gather into one the dispersed children of God” (John 11:51-52).
As we go on throughout the fifth week of Lent, and as we begin Holy Week, let us keep our eyes open for the hints of how the new covenant is perfecting the old. The gospel today ends with an allusion to the Passover Feast, and of course, through the Eucharist, Jesus the Lamb of God saves us through the blood he shed for us and allows us to partake in at Holy Mass. If we could only see what truly happens during the Holy Sacrifice which is Jesus’ Passion made present again on our Altars, we would die of joy and gratitude. God veils these mysteries for our own good, but in time, we shall see them and Him for what and who they really are, when God becomes all in all. Amen.
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Unity ... in truth and holiness ..... That we should be one as He and the Father are one
very well said Fr , thank you for the sacrifice of your time to lead us And reminding us always how much we are loved 🤍