Daily Retreat 08/22/08
2008 Aug 22 Fri: Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary M
Ez 37: 1-14/ Ps 106(107): 2-3. 4-5. 6-7. 8-9/ Mt 22: 34-40
From today’s readings: “ Thus says the Lord GOD: O My people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. ... Give thanks to the Lord; His love is everlasting.... Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
Dem Dry Bones!
A popular Negro spiritual (with numerous modern spin-offs) sings of Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones which symbolized the abandoned hope and spiritual lifelessness of the children of Israel. Yet in spite of the reiterated dryness of the bones, the prophetic word of the Lord incarnates the dry bones with new life, thereby demonstrating to God’s people how the Holy Spirit brings new life even to a skeletal faith!
All of us, I’m sure, find ourselves foraging figuratively amidst piles of our own dry and spiritless bones, offspring of moral resolutions and religious intentions that have been reduced to such a pathetic and apathetic state because we starved them or allowed armies of temptations to slaughter them. Can such bones come to life?
Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: See! I will bring spirit into you, that you may come to life!
Ez 37: 1-14/ Ps 106(107): 2-3. 4-5. 6-7. 8-9/ Mt 22: 34-40
From today’s readings: “ Thus says the Lord GOD: O My people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. ... Give thanks to the Lord; His love is everlasting.... Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
Dem Dry Bones!
A popular Negro spiritual (with numerous modern spin-offs) sings of Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones which symbolized the abandoned hope and spiritual lifelessness of the children of Israel. Yet in spite of the reiterated dryness of the bones, the prophetic word of the Lord incarnates the dry bones with new life, thereby demonstrating to God’s people how the Holy Spirit brings new life even to a skeletal faith!
All of us, I’m sure, find ourselves foraging figuratively amidst piles of our own dry and spiritless bones, offspring of moral resolutions and religious intentions that have been reduced to such a pathetic and apathetic state because we starved them or allowed armies of temptations to slaughter them. Can such bones come to life?
Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: See! I will bring spirit into you, that you may come to life!
posted by FrPitstick | 8/20/2008
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