Please read this passage before reading this homily.
This passage concerns responsibility. The chapter began by quoting an ancient proverb, ‘Our ancestors ate sour grapes and their children’s teeth are set on edge.” The people of Ezekiel’s time could blame their ancestors for their sins, thereby absolve themselves of their wicked ways. Such thinking would also absolve us of any responsibility for the results of slavery in our country. It would also allow us to blame Adam for our sins. God, however, speaking through Ezekiel, forbade people to repeat this proverb.
The prophet would answer us as he answered the people of his day, “No way!” God wants the wicked to turn away from wickedness and do what is right. God desires repentance and a change of heart. God does not want sinners to die, but to turn to God and live. The children of the wicked can live good lives and find salvation. The children of the just can turn away from justice and do what is evil and be judged accordingly. Although in Adam we all have sinned, nevertheless we each have made our personal choices to sin: we cannot blame Adam for what we have done.
What does God want? God wants each to turn aside from evil ways and seek the Lord. God does not desire the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his evil ways and return to the Lord. The Lord delights in our repentance. God does not abandon us when we sin and do wicked things. Rather he continues to call us to repentance and life. The message God gives us through the prophet is intended to call us to accept our responsibility and come to conversion. It is for us to accept the responsibility for our own actions, not to place the blame on others. When we take responsibility, we open ourselves up to receiving God’s grace and the life God calls us to live.