Ezekiel 2:8-3:4
Psalm118(119):14,24,72,103,111,131
Matthew 18:1-5,10,12-14
A beacon of hope
Ezekiel was a priest serving in the Temple in Jerusalem when he received a divine calling to warn the people about impending destruction. He told them that if they didn’t return to a faithful relationship with God, they would face exile and the fall of their nation. Instead of trusting in God’s guidance, the people relied on their own wisdom, formed political alliances for self-preservation, and indulged in idol worship. Eventually, Babylon captured Jerusalem, and Ezekiel, along with the leaders, was forced into exile.
During this exile, the prophet became a beacon of hope, urging the people to turn back to the Lord and offering visions of a future where they would return to Jerusalem and God’s glory would restore the Temple, symbolized by the dry bones coming back to life.
Today’s reading describes how Ezekiel is commanded to eat a scroll filled with lamentations, wailings, and woes, which he finds as sweet as honey upon consuming it. Like Ezekiel, each of us carries our own scroll—filled with disappointments, discouragements, and despair—that can foster fears of never getting better or tempt us to ignore or deny our struggles. God shows Ezekiel that embracing the darker parts of our human experience is essential; only when we acknowledge our laments and woes can God truly act in our lives.
“Ezekiel” means “God strengthens,” and by eating the scroll in obedience, the prophet was acknowledging his own sins and failures alongside those of his people. It was a gesture of complete dependence on God, much like a child turning to their parents for help in the gospel reading today. What initially tasted bitter became sweet as honey. God continues to work miracles in our lives when we approach Him with childlike faith and trust. He brings light into our darkness, offers forgiveness for our sins, and gives strength where we are weak. Let us humble ourselves like children and enter God’s kingdom, relying solely on His divine strength.
Fr. Joseph Osho
