(Please read this Scripture passage first, before the homily.)
Ezekiel was a priest. He wore linen vestments when officiating in the temple. He was not allowed to show the signs of grieving that the average person could. He would officiate in silence. Ezekiel became a living sign for the people: what he did and what happened to him would happen to the people.
Ezekiel’s wife died, apparently rather suddenly, in an epidemic. Ezekiel had to grieve in silence, without any outward sign of his grief. The impending fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple would be such a great tragedy, such that words and ordinary actions could not express the grief or come to terms with it. No one could express that sorrow with ordinary mourning practices. The people would leave Jerusalem dressed as for a regular journey, dressed as their ancestors had dressed when they had left Egypt at the time of the Exodus and they would mourn as Ezekiel had had to mourn.
After the death of his wife, Ezekiel would be unable to speak. Only when the temple was destroyed would Ezekiel regain his ability to speak. He remained in silence during the temple liturgies. Only when the liturgy had ended would the priest speak and only when the temple was finished would the priest Ezekiel speak.
Ezekiel would serve as an example. As he had done, so would the people do.
Ezekiel explained that by their arrogance, pride and disrespect, the people had symbolically already destroyed the temple and Jerusalem. The Chaldeans merely carried out in reality what the people’s attitude had done already. Who would have thought that anyone would have dared to tear down the temple of the Lord?
The prophet Ezekiel helped the people deal with the issues. Eventually he would foresee a resurrection for the dry dead bones of the nation and a rebuilding of the temple with the restoration of full and intentional worship of the Lord. That would be his task for the rest of his life.
This is the task of all those who do the word of the Lord. They must announce the word, call people to repentance when necessary, stand by them in their lack of repentance and work with them to return to what the Lord calls them to.
This is our task and the task of all those who proclaim God’s word to us.