Tonight, Mum did not drink! To support her, we didn't drink too. At the same time, there was no more complaint stories. Throughout the day, we only talked about trivial things. She insisted that I should put on a pair of trousers to hide the scars on my feet. Probably due to a hangover, she didn't have any appetite for McDonald's breakfast. Her tooth is aching. Dad went to the doctor to pick up coughing syrup for her. The grocer cheated her of one dollar etc. Thank God for granting her peace.
We continue the reading of Ezekiel. In chapter 11, Ezekiel pronounced judgment on 25 princes in the Temple. One of them, Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, died on the spot (Ezekiel 11:13).
Then, God promised to gather all the dispersed remnants of Israel and give them a new heart and a new spirit.
Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.'
And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations.
And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
that they may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God (Ezekiel 11:17-20).
We will find the same prophecy repeat once more in Ezekiel 36:24-28.
In chapter 12, Ezekiel performed another symbolic action. He carried an exile baggage and went into exile by day in the full sight of the people. At night, he dug through a hole in the wall with his own hand and walked through it into the darkness in their sight.
Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in it.'
Say, 'I am a sign for you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall go into exile, into captivity.' (Ezekiel 12:10-11)
Though the book of Ezekiel puts this symbolic action as an oracle, a prediction, to me it reads more like a reenactment of historical events, perhaps an annual ritual to commemorate the national exile.
In chapter 13, Ezekiel prophesied against the false prophets.
Thus says the Lord GOD, Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
Your prophets have been like foxes among ruins, O Israel (Ezekiel 13:3-4).
The existence of false scholars/prophets is a perennial problem for any nation. Therefore, there is no time limit for Ezekiel's warnings against false prophets. They are forever applicable. Other oracles about God's chastisement of Israel and Judah, about famines, wars and exiles sound more like history than predictions. These prophecies follow a formula: such and such shall fall on you/them and you/they shall know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 6-7, 11-13). God punished His Chosen People in order to remind them that He is the LORD. They should not worship other gods. Probably, Ezekiel needed to remind the Jewish exiles in Babylon not to follow local idolatry for convenience's sake. They should remember Yahweh instead.
In a foreign land, there might be false prophets meting out cheap consolations, or false teachers encouraging cultural integration into the Babylonian empire or witches promoting magic and superstitions. Probably, Ezekiel was combating against all of these or more. Well, thus far, I can only put forth some hypotheses. I am still piecing together a big jigsaw puzzle.
My dear Advocate, I pray for Mum. Have kindness on her soul and continue to grant her peace. Living up the Catholic faith in this pluralistic society demands true knowledge and diplomacy. Grant our government officials and leaders integrity and truthful hearts. Amen.
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