(Please read the Scripture passage before reading the homily.)
Ezekiel ministered God’s word to the people in exile. This is an important fact in discerning the prophet’s message. In the exile, as in other times of upheaval and trouble, people tended to blame God, to question God and to proclaim their own innocence.
The people said, “The Lord’s way is not fair! After all the good things we have done, the Lord keeps us in exile.”
On the other hand, God said, “What I really want for you is that you live and not die; I will always accept your repentance.
In 1863, Everett Edward Hale wrote the short story, The Man without a Country. It is about a patriotic person who became dissatisfied with the United Stated and turned against his country. His punishment was that he never set foot on the United States again. The judge overlooked his patriotism and saw only the man’s turning away from his country; he saw a patriot that had turned traitor and punished him accordingly.
We also have stories of criminals who have done heroic good things. These have often had the criminal records blotted out and their reputations restored.
The prophet Ezekiel argues that God recognizes our changes of heart and forgives those who repent of their evil. God also holds to account those good people who repent of their goodness in order to follow evil. God holds us personally responsible for the evil we do. God acts fairly, but we are not fair.
Since God wants us to live and not die, God always offers forgiveness. Since God wants us to turn from our evil ways, God is always ready to accept our repentance and live in the presence of the Lord.
For our part, we can have confidence in God’s fidelity, that will always welcome sinners into God’s kingdom, now and for eternity.