19th Week, Saturday, August 19, 2006

Scripture: Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32; Psalm 51; Matthew 19:13-15

"Make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit...Return to me and live, says the Lord." Our prophet Ezekiel is teaching his people and us a new way of looking at responsibility for one's acts. Our parents and our environment are not responsible for the way we make decisions about good or evil; we are the choice-makers. Formerly, it was the fault of the tribe or the clan or even of the parents if a person did something wrong. That is what Ezekiel is referring to when he cites the proverb, " The parents have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge." I believe Ezekiel then gives the readers of the Bible, the first time that individuals are responsible for their actions, not those who are their parents or friends. No longer will the parents be judged for what the son or daughter has done. Even Jesus' disciples fell into thinking it was different, when they asked Jesus about the blind man, "Was it he or his parents who sinned...that he is blind?" Jesus knew Ezekiel's principle ands said, "Neither he nor his parents have sinned." This means that the good deeds of our parents are theirs not ours! We have to fend for ourselves in the development of virtues. We are going to be judged as individuals and no one else can take the blame or the praise but ourselves. This makes sense even in psychology and just sound reasoning and it is coming from the most imaginative and psychedelic of prophets!

We have a way of being honest and God will forgive us if we live out Psalm 51, one of the penitential psalms attributed to David after his sin of adultery. We are to ask for a clean heart and a steadfast spirit. Virtuous living leads to integrity and wholesome holiness.

Jesus shows us that we must be open to him and his Father like children are. He blesses them and welcomes them into his arms. Children are naturally inclined to being honest and joyful. Their sense of wonder should be part of the mature Christian's mentality. Such behavior leads us into the realm of God's love. If we pray and allow Jesus to place his blessing upon us we are starting to understand what is in the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings...and, of course, the New Testament.

P.S. I had made an egregious mistake yesterday in my last sentence. I was trying to say that the Gospel of Matthew shows Jesus speaking about celibacy in a way contrary to the tradition from which he comes. He could not have inferred this or asked it of others if he himself did not espouse this way of life. I was not hinting at his being married. That belongs to legends and the Da Vinci Code...a best seller. My reflections are not "best selling material." Thank you for accepting my apology and correction. Bert Buby, S.M.