Good
morning friends…
The
read passage is a continuation of yesterday's text (Ezekiel 37:1-6) and hence
we continue to reflect upon the dry bones… This text is a part of a popular
text that speaks of the possibility in the midst of impossibilities. In other
words, it instills hope in midst of hopelessness.
Context
The
author Ezekiel is born as a son of a priest, but functions more as a prophet in
exile. To be a prophet among the captives is no easy task. However, he is a
messenger of hope particularly during the exile. It is a time when the people
of Judah lost their king and land. Moreover, they lost their trust in their god
Yahweh who promised eternal kingdom to David's house. Worst of all they lost
expectation. They had given up, they did not expect anything good to happen
anymore. This is true in our context too, many have lost hope and do not expect
anything good to happen anymore. Will the terrorism in our nation and the world
cease? Johnathan Bernis, President of Jewish Voice Ministries, with all
pessimism raises the question, Is peace possible? Will our nation be free of
the evils of the caste system? Dowry? And other social evils? How shall we
respond to the people affected with AIDS and other terminal illness?
Humanly
speaking, we are clueless and hopeless. However, it is at this juncture that
people need someone, whom they can believe in to instill that expectation and
hope in their hopeless situation.
On
the other hand, it is in such a time as these that we have received the call to
be agents to give hope and ignite transformation.
Dry
bones and the symbolic vision highlight such a hopeless situation, where the
future is not just bleak but extinct. However, the prophet being an exile was
in a better position to proclaim the message of hope.
Being with the people in crisis
Ezekiel
notes the phrase in midst of them or 'among' about 116 times. His position as
one of them gave his message of future restoration and resurrection of the life
of the nation a better reception.
Christian
public witness is more effective by identifying with the people and creation in
crisis than by great contemplation in isolation. Identifying with the people is
significant.
Secondly, Proclaiming divine message whether it makes sense or not.
The
task of the prophet remains to just proclaim the message of hope. The word so
in v 7 indicates that the words of prophecy came not because of the prophet’s confidence
but the assurance from the Lord to do it.
The
prophet is likewise commanded in v.9 to prophecy to the breath and wind which
eventually makes the corpses alive. Let us speak the words of hope into the
lives of people without hope and intercede that God would bring them to life.
Obedience
to the call and message received is a necessity to instill hope and
transformation. In the Genesis account, God spoke and creation took place; he breathed
life into human being. Now God speaks through the prophet and things happen.
When we identify with the people and proclaim the words of hope, …
…then we can witness the wonders in life…
God
speaks and performs, all that is expected of us as prophets is to proclaim it
faithfully and witness the works of the Lord. We are only privileged partners
with God in his business. As prophets, we may witness the fulfillment of the message
only in visions; the reality may be sooner or later. The prophet may pass away
but the words of prophecy will be fulfilled in due time.
Friends, you and I are called as prophets and apostles of Jesus Christ to
be with the broken and shattered people to proclaim the good news of hope and a
better future.
As we continue to reflect shall we sing the hymn…I am thine, oh Lord…
Wilson Cherian
DTh
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