Homily for Thursday of the 20th Week in Ord.
Time Yr. B./Memorial of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church
v Ezekiel 36:23-28
v Ps 51:12-13,14-15,18-19
v Responsorial verse Ezekiel 36:25
v Matt 22:1-14
He Washes
us Clean and Dresses Us In a New Garment (Ezek 36:25)
The
saint we celebrate today, St. Bernard (1090-1153) was a Cistercian abbot and preacher
who not only fought for peace and unity within the Church, but as a devotee to
our Blessed Virgin Mary, and Jesus, stressed the importance of asceticism, and
living a life of obedience and holiness. Saint Bernard no doubt must have read
today’s scripture passages (Ezekiel 36:23-28, Ps 51; and Matt 22:1-14) that
invite every generation to a newness and holiness of life, over and over again.
In the
first reading, Ezekiel 36, that Saint Bernard may have read, the prophet
Ezekiel moved away from the yesterday’s theme, the need to have and listen to
our Good Shepherd, God, to assuring the repentant Israel of God’s protection, purification
of the land, rebuilding of the temple(which we shall see from chapters 40- 47)
and newness of heart. It is a divine promise of hope, reversal of fortunes for the
remnant and to those willing to take personal responsibility in obedience to the
Lord. The responsorial, Psalm taken from verse 35 of Ezekiel chapter 36 says it
all, this divine promises; “ I( the Lord) will pour clean water on you(Israel,
the remnant, the repentant ones, those who acknowledge their sins as David did
in Psalm 51 of today), and wash away all your sins.”
For
those who do not harden their hearts, who listen to the Lord, who obey the Lord
(Psalm 95:8, the alleluia verse) everything will be new, restored: new hearts,
new homes, restored lands, and new ways of doing things.
Similar messages of newness of heart, and a
change that comes with obedience to the Lord is heard in the Gospel, Matthew
22:1-14. Presented in a familiar matthean parabolic manner the kingdom of
heaven is likened to a king who hosted a wedding feast and invited various
guests. Unfortunately, some of the invitee ignored the invitation, disobeyed
him, so to say, while even those who were not invited filled to capacity the wedding
hall. Some had no wedding dress at all and were ejected into the outside
darkness where pains, wailing and grinding of teeth have become the order of
the day. Such is the kingdom heaven yardsticks- repentance, new garments, new hearts,
forgiveness, penance, mercy, kindness, obedience, listening to God, purity of
hearts are required. It is a place where God must have washed us clean and dressed
us in a new garment of love and hope and faith.
These
new garments of heart and obedience practice are much more needed today where
anthropocentrism, consumerism, materialism, indifference to issues of morality
and social justice have become the order of the day. New ways of loving and
forgiveness are needed today, where frivolous litigation for material wants
have replaced theology of forgiveness and honesty! A newness of heart and new
garment of hope is needed today where covid-19 has rattled the world and
damaged people’s livelihood. A new heart and a new garment of love are also
needed today, in places that politicians have neglected their sense of duty and
racism or segregation have threatened global desired unity and peace. And on
this memorial day of Saint Bernard we pray for a new way of practicing asceticism
and promoting out-reach with material food and support for the poor and the
needy of our new world. For he washes us clean and dresses us with a new
garment!
Reflection Questions:
1.
In what ways have the prophet Ezekiel of Exile touched our lives these days,
especially today’s passage?
2.
Is there any aspect of our lives that need changes, restoration and
renewal?
3.
Could you think of what you have done to bring hope to the hopeless, and a
new dress or home to the dress-less and homeless people?
4.
How often do we pray Psalm 51 or Psalm 95:8?
