Thursday, August 12, 2010

Do you "moan" over the sins of our land?

I'd like to briefly reflect on the first reading from Mass yesterday. I'm sure I'd heard it before, but it struck such a chord in me, especially during these times. I'd like to include pieces of it because most do not have time to go to daily Mass. It is from the prophet Ezekiel:

"The LORD cried loud for me to hear: Come, you scourges of the city! With that I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate which faces the north, each with a destroying weapon in his hand...Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and mark a “Thau” on the foreheads of those who moan and groan over all the abominations that are practiced within it... Pass through the city after him and strike! Do not look on them with pity nor show any mercy! Old men, youths and maidens, women and children–wipe them out! But do not touch any marked with the “Thau”; begin at my sanctuary."

WOW!!! Many things to note here.
A) The people that are saved are the people who CARE about what is going on in the city (the nation). A question for sincere reflection - do I "moan and groan" over the extreme sins of our land? Do I even think there are any abominations in our land? If I do, do I care enough to make some noise about it? I think the phrase "moan and groan" means something along the lines of this: does it bother you, in the depth of your soul, when you look around and see what is going on today in our country?

B) Priests and those who work in and for the Church should take note - the Lord says "begin at my sanctuary." He is saying strike down first and foremost those priests and leaders who are charged with "moaning and groaning" and who are charged with pointing out to people the things that they ought to be disturbed about, start with them. I hope it was the wake up call for my brother priests that this was for me.

Let us love this country enough to work for change while not losing hope because we know the final victory will be ours.

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