Imitating Ezra

Then, at the time of the evening sacrifice, I rose in my wretchedness, and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees, stretching out my hands to the Lord, my God.  I said: “My God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to raise my face to you, my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads and our guilt reaches up to heaven.^[1]

            The time of the evening sacrifice is the eleventh hour, the time just before Christ returns.  We know we are in the eleventh hour; we just don’t believe it.  Therefore, we live as death and/or Christ’s return is in the future, not now.  Now, Ezra was in wretchedness not because of what he had done but what his people had done and are doing; however, he is also treating the sins of his people as if they were his personal sins.  We normally look inward, at our personal sins, not worrying about the sins of others.  This is where we go wrong.  We are part of the Body, as well as our fellow Catholics.  We, as individuals, are not the entirety of the Body; therefore, when our fellow Catholic sins, the Body becomes sick.

            When Hurricane Irma was incoming, it was stated that it would be sad if Houston received the effects of the hurricane.  The response was: Better them than us.  This is our mindset.  “As long as I get to heaven, the hell with my neighbor; that is his problem.”  We are a being that is human.  We are a body of humans.  This really applies to us as Catholics: We, though many, are the Body of Christ.  We ascend and descend (sinfulness) as a Body, not individuals.  We want to focus upon ourselves as individuals and not a Body.  We, as individuals, need to—like Ezra—take the sins of others upon ourselves and repent.  In the exile of the northern and southern kingdoms, not only the disobedient went into captivity; the obedient also went, e.g. Ezekiel, Daniel, and the three Hebrew children. 

           For he afflicts and shows mercy, casts down to the depths of Hades, brings up from the great abyss.  Give thanks to him, you Israelites, in the presence of the nations, for though he has scattered you among them, even there recount his greatness.  Exalt him before every living being, because he is your Lord, and he is your God, our Father and God forever and ever!  He will afflict you for your iniquities, but will have mercy on all of you.  He will gather you from all the nations among whom you have been scattered.  When you turn back to him with all your heart, and with all your soul do what is right before him, then he will turn to you, and will hide his face from you no longer.  Now consider what he has done for you, and give thanks with full voice.  Bless the Lord of righteousness, and exalt the King of the ages.  In the land of my captivity I give thanks, and declare his power and majesty to a sinful nation.  According to your heart do what is right before him: perhaps there will be pardon for you.^[2]  This we do when, for God and what he has done, we live a life that pleases him.  As individuals, we need to live this life; however, we need to pray that the entirety of the Body also does.

            He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.  Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.  And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.”  Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.^[3]  The “Twelve” are the foundation of the Catholic Church, the beginning.  Therefore, we see them in our bishops and priests.  We go to them for the Sacraments, for reconciliation, healing, and growth, for the strength to live the life we are ordained to live: the life of Christ.  In this way, we will also imitate Ezra.

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^[1] New American Bible, Revised Edition., (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Ezr 9:5–6.

^[2] Ibid., Tob 13:2-6.

^[3] Ibid., Lk 9:1–6.