Take responsibility for your wrongs

Ezk. 18:1-10.13.30-32, Mt. 19:13-15. In today's first reading, the prophet Ezekiel picks up a theme of personal responsibility and accountability for sins. Ezekiel, like many of the later prophets, changed the focus of what will enable one to have the life which God intended. The earlier belief that God deals with a whole group of people collectively has given way to the concept that everyone will be held accountable for individual lifestyle. For him, many people sought to justify themselves by the virtue of the community or of their ancestry, but failed to look into individual conscience for renewal. He took the people to task for a proverb that they repeated as a way to shift blame from themselves. They should never again say: Because fathers and mothers have eaten sour grapes, their children’s teeth are on edge. Ezekiel insists: If your teeth burn with an acid taste, it is because you ate the sour grapes.

Only the one who sins shall die and only the virtuous person shall live, everyone belongs to the Lord. Those who will “live” will be the individuals who are faithful to God and treat others fairly. Those who will “die” are the individuals who are idolatrous, greedy and uncaring. God wills that all “live”, that is, to be in a relationship with Him. God does not want anyone to “die”, that is, to be out of relationship with Him. Yet, our actions and deeds will manifest our intention in regards to our relationship with God. Today's Gospel provides a new context for personal responsibility. Thus, Jesus enjoins us: “Let the children come to me. The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Jesus draws our attention to the candour of children, so that we may be able to put aside the hindrances and obstacles in the path of our journey towards God and can end up distracting us from the path towards God’s grace and salvation. Unless we follow the examples of children, we are likely to end up falling into those temptations and enter into the slippery slope of sin and evil. Our pride, ego, desires and greed often become our undoing as those lead us down the path to ruin, by closing ourselves up from God and His love. Today, Jesus challenges us to imitate the little children in sincerity and commitment, for children’s lifestyles are pure, unadulterated and not affected by the numerous temptations and desires that many adults and older people often have.

May the Lord be pleased with us and grant us the grace to love and care for the weak and the dejected! Amen!! Good morning, do have a wonderful weekend!!!