A Holy Commissioning
Listening Faithfully Contemplations: Ezekiel 2:2-5 [Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)]
2 And the spirit entered into me after that he spoke to me, and he set me upon my feet: and I heard him speaking to me,
3 And saying: Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious people, that hath revolted from me, they, and their fathers, have transgressed my covenant even unto this day.
4 And they to whom I send thee are children of a hard face, and of an obstinate heart: and thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord God:
5 If so be they at least will hear, and if so be they will forbear, for they are a provoking house: and they shall know that there hath been a prophet in the midst of them.
Reflection
Empowerment by the Spirit:
Dear brothers and sisters, Prophet Ezekiel was called to serve God by professing the coming Messiah. His task was daunting: to speak to the rebellious Israelites, whom God himself described as obstinate and stubborn. In this, we find that true prophetic ministry is first ordained through God’s spirit and, therefore, sustained by God Himself and not by the strength of man. To this, I ask, has God ever come and spoken to you for the purpose of giving you a mission? According to Christian Questions website,
God treats people differently based on the situation and the time period in which they live. In early biblical times, God understood that people needed to hear His voice directly or through angels and prophets in order to believe in His power because the Bible hadn’t been written yet.
However, I believe if you listen hard enough, you can hear God, and He doesn’t always give you a mission; rather, He gives advice. The Christian Bible supports our faith in some regard, but unlike Ezekiel, we are tasked with believing without seeing. Though God’s presence is all around us, it is through our observations and perceptive abilities that we can indeed access God daily. Indeed, I tell you that if you alter your attitude, you can see all the tiny miracles that happen in your life each and every day. In this regard, believing only by seeing becomes quant at best. No, we are all empowered by the Holy Spirit through our faith and, therefore, can have a full-blown conversation with God at any time, day or night we wish, for he is always there and listening faithfully.
Human Rebellion:
The Israelites are described as rebellious, insolent, and stubborn. This reflects a broader biblical theme of human resistance to God’s will. Despite their continual rebellion, God’s persistence in sending prophets shows His relentless pursuit of His people. But this brings up yet another question about faith, a question many of you may have been asking all your lives: “Why does God love us so much that he would pursue his people so relentlessly?” To answer this question, we first must understand who God is fundamentally.
8 Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. - 1 John 4:8 [New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)]
God pursues his people because He created us. He loves us because His love is unconditional. He is the source of true love and thereby demonstrates love in everything He does. God is, therefore, the very definition of love itself. But, this statement is out of reach for those who do not know God nor do not want to know Him. In their view, if God was love, wouldn’t He have created us to also express unconditional love? Within this question is the root of their lack of faith, which explains man’s rebellion against God. Which is a reflection of the heavenly rebellion of the angels who fell from grace.
Prophetic Obedience:
Ezekiel’s task is to speak God’s words, irrespective of the people’s response. This teaches an important lesson about obedience in ministry and in life in general. Success is not measured by human response but by faithfulness to God’s calling. Therefore, by listening to God we are living His will for us in our lives. The more we do this and the less we rebel, the more we can see the purpose we are to fulfill. As a professional teacher for over twenty years, there are days I wish God had asked me to do something else, something that would pay me more and allow me to feel less stress. A task that was more suited to my personal wants of being lazy and seeking the work-from-home lifestyle. But in that moment when I wanted to quit, I remembered my promise to God and His faithfulness to me. I have never been without food or a roof over my head, and I have never been without His presence, as he is always with me, guiding me and strengthening and protecting me. In this, I constantly ask God to allow all people to feel this way and to know Him as I do.
Conclusion:
In reflection this passage challenges us to consider our own responsiveness to God’s call. Are we willing to speak and act on God’s behalf, even in the face of opposition or indifference? It also reminds us that our efforts in God’s service are empowered by His Spirit and that success is defined by our faithfulness to His commands, not by the immediate outcomes we see.
Catholic Bible—Douay-Rhiems:
The most accurate English translation of the Bible available today.
If you are looking for a Bible that holds significance and importance, especially within the context of Catholicism and the history of English Bible translations, may I suggest the Douay-Rheims Bible? The first complete translation of the Bible into English was made by and for Roman Catholics. The New Testament was published in 1582, and the Old Testament followed in 1609-1610. This was a significant development for English-speaking Catholics, who previously had limited access to vernacular translations approved by the Catholic Church. Moreover, the translators of the King James Bible were aware of the Douay-Rheims Bible, and it influenced their work. Some phrases and stylistic choices in the KJV can be traced back to the Douay-Rheims. Thus, it had a lasting impact on English biblical literature. Finally, the Douay-Rheims Bible has been a cornerstone of Catholic identity in English-speaking countries for centuries. It has provided a sense of unity and continuity for English-speaking Catholics, especially during times of persecution and marginalization. It is the one Bible I read and use in my personal life and for many of the biblical quotes you find in the Listening Faithfully Publication. If you would like to purchase this bible, click the button below.
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LETS US PRAY
Dear Father in heaven, open our hearts to the wonder of being able to call you Father, the wonder of being united with you. You are the source of all life and strength. In you is redemption, and we need to be redeemed before we can live rightly.
—Plough Publishing House
[THE DIVINE OFFICE: CHRISTIAN PRAYER: The Liturgy of the Hours]
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
God, come to my assistance. —Lord. make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning; now and ever shall be a world without end. Amen.
Ant. 1: Christ our Lord is a priest forever, like Melchizedek of old, alleluia
Psalm 110:5-7 [The Messiah, king, and priest]
Christ’s reign will last until all his enemies are made subject to him (1 Corinthians 15:25)
The Lord’s revelation to my Master: “Sit on my right: your foes I will put beneath your feet.”
The Lord will wield from Zion your scepter of power: rule in the midst of all your foes.
A prince from the day of your birth on the holy mountains; from the womb before the dawn I begot you.
The Lord has sworn an oath, and he will not change. “You are a priest forever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.”
The Master standing at your right hand will shatter kings in the day of his wrath.
He shall drink from the stream by the wayside, and therefore, he shall lift up his head.
Glory to the Father, and the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen
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