17/11/2022

Today I have used the readings chosen by the Church for the feast of St. Hugh of Lincoln whose Cathedral is not only still with us, a daily source of wonder at the dedication of its founder and the skill of its builders who built using only human and animal energy, but also, still used for Christian worship.

Ezekiel is called by God to be his representative to his people, Israel. As is true with all humans, the Israelites, even though in captivity, had got immersed in the delights of this world and were forgetting that they were all chosen by God to live in righteousness on this earth. There is no Temple outside of Jerusalem, but scripture had been preserved and God still looked with favour on his first chosen.

Ezekiel was to serve the Lord by taking care that the individuals who together became "my people, Israel" lived their lives aware of and in the sight of the Father, the only person revealed before Christ. The people knew the teachings of the scriptures and Ezekiel was chosen to break their growing indifference and offer hope of a return and of a new Temple. 

He had to tell the hard truths of God whom we now know as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I have been taught that our Church, founded on Peter by the Son and filled with Holy Spirit who is the fire of all three persons, is Jesus still with us, the way, the truth the life of our souls. It has been founded by Jesus to be the shepherd of all humanity and its clergy are to do nothing but speak the truth and denounce evil.

Ezekiel had a vision and a goal. God's Temple on earth would be rebuilt. Our Church has to become the Good News that we each can be a Temple of God undamaged by the scandal that is wrought by the silence that rings out from the hollow chambers that are our leadership, in the nearly empty buildings of the Faith that is now so hard to find.

Dear Lord your city Jerusalem was always filled with thousands of people whom you know in your eternity. Your saints are with you in that state of joy that is your goal for each one of us. Our Holy Mother Mary is the one of us who comes close to understanding your Love that comes to us with life, may she and all the Saints continue to hold us and the Holy Souls in the spotlight of your grace that we may defeat temptation and learn the love that holds no fear.