You, mortal, I have made
a sentinel for the house of Israel…if…you warn the wicked to turn from their
ways, and they do not turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their
ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your
life. [Ezekiel 33:7-11]
Teach me, O Lord,
the way of your statutes…give me life in your ways. [Psalm 119:33a, 37b]
“Owe no one anything, except to love one
another… The commandments...are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbor as
yourself’...love is the fulfilling of the law...now is the moment for you to
wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became
believers...Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of
light...” [Romans 13:8a, 9b, 11b,
12b]
"Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed
in heaven...For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among
them." [Matthew 18:18, 20]
The passage this week from the priest of Israel turned prophet,
Ezekiel, begins in several ways depending on the particular edition/translation
you are reading. I was immediately struck by the wording and the punctuation of verse 7 in
the NRSV: …you, mortal,… which is repeated in verse 10…you, mortal,…because
it felt as if I was being engaged ~ me, right now, today,
this minute. In other translations instead
of “mortal,” the phrase is son of man, which according to one source
occurs 93 times in Ezekiel. In one Jewish translation it is ben adam, which
is Hebrew for son of man; “adam” is, essentially, a Hebrew word for the
humans, male and female, that God created. While mortal
leaves no misunderstanding or escape clause regarding we who are not “sons,” I,
me, you, him, her, them are all inclusive as a sentinel for the house of Israel,
that is, for the house, the city, the state, the country, indeed the entire
planet that we, each, occupy now. And it was so for Ezekiel, as this was his
personal call from God to warn the wicked to turn from their ways and if
they don’t they only had themselves to blame. At least Ezekiel tried and took note that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Of
course we know that in the Christian/New
Testament, Jesus self-described himself as son of man in the human as
well as the divine sense. This passage to us, mortals, opens and prepares
us to the hear the lessons learned and given to us by Jesus in today's Gospel.
The psalmist asks to be taught the way of
God’s statutes and to turn his eyes away from the worthless to give
me life in your ways. This is the way of God’s statutes, to spread the Word by
how we ourselves live, not by taking pleasure in the misfortune of others.
And then, Paul reminds us, because we need to hear again and again, that Jesus
said, "Love your neighbor as yourself." I used to hear
that as "love your neighbor as you love yourself"
and, of course, if one has difficulty loving oneself it would be apparent in
the way they treat others. Yet in the fuller sense, I now read it as written ~ love
your neighbor as your self. THAT person is
YOU. Loving him, her, them is to love
yourself, to seek and discover a mirror image in another and love that part of
them, however miniscule, that is you. Jesus promises that in
unity and community, when two or three or more gather in his name, we bring Him
into our midst. It doesn't make it easier, yet it gives us a place to
start. We are to Owe no one anything, except to love one
another. "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the
fulfilling of the law." [Romans 13:10] [and also see Mt
22:35-40, Mk 12:28-34, Lk 10:25-28, Jn 13:31-35]
Jesus lays out a plan for conflict resolution in the Church,
which if followed without a clear sense of sincere discretion, care, and
sacred responsibility, may have the opposite and a dire effect for many individuals and
the community itself. He tells us again, whatever you bind on earth
will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in
heaven, which should have a chilling and sobering effect on how we
decide to act in any moment of life with anyone. Conflict resolution is tenuous in the
best of times; a huge responsibility for all parties. Pointing out faults is
always easier when we think we have none. I must admit that I have trouble liking some people let alone
loving them, especially people who intentionally do serious harm physically,
emotionally, and spiritually to others. Yet try as I might, the reality is that
I cannot change what anyone else does; I can only stop, breathe, halt my
reaction in time and in order to change my response
to it. No easy task, no easy solution, but one certainty exists: Salvation
is nearer to us now, and every passing moment brings it closer. The time is
NOW to turn to Christ, to act for Christ, to love in, through,
and as Christ would have us do ~ whew, hard work when there are no
guarantees that our efforts will be successful or appreciated now or ever. If
only I could just wait a little longer to do all that I should,
to build my courage, to reduce my fear. But, time's a-wastin' and for those of
us who believe in the word and teachings of Jesus, he tells us that what we do
on Earth is directly applied to Heaven. There’s that whatever you
bind you loose thing again. But the light of Christ is always
with us especially when we stop, in the name of love, to weigh, pray, consider,
and reconsider, our intentions for our neighbor and our self.
LET US, GOD’S PEOPLE,
PRAY
Leader: ~ Lord
GOD, Your Love, through Christ, will give us life in Your ways at the
moment we seek to live into our life’s true calling. Guide us to forgive the
unforgivable, to live honorably and honestly, and to continue Your work to love
everyone we meet as if they are our selves.
Lord of Earth and Heaven
RESPONSE: Bind us
together in Love
~ Lord GOD, as we put on
the armor of Light in Christ, we give witness of Your unending love to all who
lead this World, this Country, and this Community, with the express
expectations that they will act for the safety, wholeness, and health of all Your
people. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
Lord of Earth and Heaven
Bind
us together in Love
~ Lord GOD, comfort and
heal all who are chronically ill, live in the relentless demand of addiction,
or have lost their sense of home, and refresh all who give them care. We
now join our hearts together to pray for those in need… add your own
petitions
Lord of Earth and Heaven
Bind
us together in Love
~ Lord GOD, grant us
peace in knowing that our loved ones now bloom again in the eternal sunshine of
Life everlasting with You. We pray especially for: add your own
petitions
Lord of Earth and Heaven
Bind
us together in Love
~ Lord GOD, we pause in
this moment to offer You our other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions,
petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions
Lord of Earth and Heaven
We
You a new song by our lives
~ Lord GOD, prepare a
special place in Your eternal Kingdom for those who lead us in Your Church, who
pray with us and for us, preach Your word to us, and shepherd us to spiritual
growth in this Community of Faith in ever growing ways. We pray especially
for: add your own petitions
Lord of Earth and Heaven
Bind
us together in Love
The Celebrant adds: God
of All and Everything, awaken our hearts, in this short life, to see
ourselves as You see us, with love, compassion, and understanding for ourselves
and all others. Illuminate our path with the Light of Christ, that we may lay
aside the works of darkness and gather together in the name of Christ our Lord.
We ask through Jesus, our Redeemer and Messiah; and the Holy Spirit, the
Counselor of our Souls; who live and reign together with You, One God,
Timeless, Immortal, and Infinite. Amen.
