Please read the Scripture passage before the homily.)
Jeremiah was the prophet guiding the people as they were going into exile; Ezekiel was the prophet who was with them during the exile. Both were Levites, the priestly clan. Jeremiah was a descendant of Eli who had taught the prophet Samuel; Ezekiel was from Zadok who was King Solomon’s priest (The Sadducees of Jesus’ time were also descendants of Zadok). God did not abandon the Israelites in their time of trial. God never abandons those whom God has chosen.
Ezekiel had a vision of the grandeur of God. Storm-winds, lightning, fire, all the elements of the earth saluted the presence of God to Ezekiel. Ezekiel saw the glory of God. For us today, Ezekiel presents his credentials.
Do we accept these credentials? Do we claim as ours the God of glory who came to Ezekiel on the banks of the river Chebar (Chebar is a canal that takes a bend out of the Euphrates river north of Babylon and reconnects with the Euphrates further south of Babylon)?
How do we relate to the vision Ezekiel received? Have we had a moment of discovery or understanding that led us to say, “Aha!”, “Wow!”; “I get it now!”?
If God was with the Israelites in their times of struggle and apparent defeat, is not this same God with us in our times of peril and apparent defeat? Sometimes we have to go back to those moments of surprise for a boost in our morale.
Ezekiel, steeped in the tradition of his people, strengthened by his vision of God’s glory, from his place of exile on a canal near Babylon, speaks to us the words of God. God is with us in these sacred words. Let us attend.