November 15th - Reflection

Ezekiel 11:14-25 (NRSV)
Judgment and promised restoration

Then the word of the Lord came to me: Mortal, your kinsfolk, your own kin, your fellow exiles, the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, "They have gone far from the Lord; to us this land is given for a possession." Therefore say: Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far away among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a little while in the countries where they have gone. Therefore say: Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. When they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, so that they may follow my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, says the Lord God.

Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. And the glory of the Lord ascended from the middle of the city, and stopped on the mountain east of the city. The spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen left me. And I told the exiles all the things that the Lord had shown me.

Reflection
The Israelites had been scattered. Scattered due to their stubborn hearts. Scattered due to their will to worship foreign gods. Scattered due to turning away from God. God has promised to turn their hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. God will unite them and make them of one heart.

The heart was meant to be the center of the being. So the expression being made of one heart gives increased meaning. Priorities will be set straight through that One heart. One focus, one will, one way, One God.

We are called likewise to One heart. One heart to turn our stone cold hearts of hate, and selfish ambition, to One heart with love, humility, mutuality, and diversity. We are called to be at table, with One heart drawn by the love of Christ. From scattered to gathered, lifted up by the Spirit of God. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, lift me by your Spirit to gather with my heart to the One heart of Jesus Christ in the one catholic Church. --- Amen