Reflection - Today's Mass Reading - Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63

Every now and then we run across a Bible passage that we don’t recall reading before, or it didn’t hit us and now it does. This happened to me today when reflecting on today’s Mass readings. And the reflection on it I found in the booklet “Living Faith.” So I thought I would share it.

Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63

The word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations.
Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem:
By origin and birth you are of the land of Canaan;
your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.
As for your birth, the day you were born your navel cord was not cut;
you were neither washed with water nor anointed,
nor were you rubbed with salt, nor swathed in swaddling clothes.
No one looked on you with pity or compassion
to do any of these things for you.
Rather, you were thrown out on the ground as something loathsome,
the day you were born. [Emphases added]

Then I passed by and saw you weltering in your blood.
I said to you: Live in your blood and grow like a plant in the field.
You grew and developed, you came to the age of puberty;
your breasts were formed, your hair had grown,
but you were still stark naked.
Again I passed by you and saw that you were now old enough for love.
So I spread the corner of my cloak over you to cover your nakedness;
I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you;
you became mine, says the Lord GOD.
Then I bathed you with water, washed away your blood,
and anointed you with oil.
I clothed you with an embroidered gown,
put sandals of fine leather on your feet;
I gave you a fine linen sash and silk robes to wear.
I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms,
a necklace about your neck, a ring in your nose,
pendants in your ears, and a glorious diadem upon your head.
Thus you were adorned with gold and silver;
your garments were of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth.
Fine flour, honey, and oil were your food.
You were exceedingly beautiful, with the dignity of a queen.
You were renowned among the nations for your beauty, perfect as it was,
because of my splendor which I had bestowed on you,
says the Lord GOD.

But you were captivated by your own beauty,
you used your renown to make yourself a harlot,
and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by,
whose own you became.

Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,
and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.

From “Living Faith”

Attention must be paid

Then I painted you with water, washed away your blood, and anointed you with oil. (Ezekiel 16:9)

In Chapter 16 of Ezekiel, God speaks to Jerusalem through an allegory, describing God's loving care for the city from infancy to marriage, given in spite of its unfaithfulness. This beautiful passage of devoted attention reflects the generosity and fidelity of divine love and calls us to bring those same qualities to our own relationships

This is especially required when the other person or persons do not respond as we wish. They may be short – tempered when we desire them to be carefree, silent when we want them to speak, talkative when we wish them to be quiet, self – centered when we need them to give their attention elsewhere. Jesus noted well that it is much easier to love those who love us than it is to reach out to those less pleasing. It is tempting to close our hearts to someone who fails to meet our expectations of a viable relationship, but should love continues to offer a spacious and kind welcome.

- Sister Joyce Rupp, O.S.M.

I couldn’t help but think of the aborted babies while I reflected on the beginning of this Srcipture passage.