Ezekiel

Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28c

#413 Weekday Year II Context (Monday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time)

On the fifth day of the fourth month of the fifth year,
that is, of King Jehoiachin’s exile,
The word of the Lord came to the priest Ezekiel,
the son of Buzi,
in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar.—
There the hand of the Lord came upon me.

As I looked, a stormwind came from the North,
a huge cloud with flashing fire enveloped in brightness,
from the midst of which (the midst of the fire)
something gleamed like electrum.
Within it were figures resembling four living creatures
that looked like this: their form was human.

Then I heard the sound of their wings,
like the roaring of mighty waters,
like the voice of the Almighty.
When they moved, the sound of the tumult was like the din of an army.
And when they stood still, they lowered their wings.

Above the firmament over their heads
something like a throne could be seen,
looking like sapphire.
Upon it was seated, up above, one who had the appearance of a man.
Upward from what resembled his waist I saw what gleamed like electrum;
downward from what resembled his waist I saw what looked like fire;
he was surrounded with splendor.
Like the bow which appears in the clouds on a rainy day
was the splendor that surrounded him.
Such was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
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Commentary on Ez 1:2-5, 24-28c

The Prophet Ezekiel’s vision of God is presented, written before the Babylonian exile (593 BC). "As is usual in the prophetical books, the heading identifies the author and indicates when and where he exercised his ministry. Ezekiel was a priest, and there is evidence of this throughout the book - for example, in the stress he puts on precepts to do with divine worship and in his frequent use of the teaching techniques used by people who held temple positions." [5] The four winged creatures symbolize the cherubim (see also Ezekiel 10:1-2 (20-21)). The descriptive elements are similar to those provided in other Old Testament sources (see Exodus 24:9-10 and Exodus 33:18-23. They are also closely aligned with those described in St. John's Revelation as participants in the heavenly liturgy (see Revelation 4:2, 8)

CCC: Ez 1:26-28 1137
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Ezekiel 2:2-5

#101B Solemnities B Context (14th Sunday in Ordinary Time B)

As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into me
and set me on my feet,
and I heard the one who was speaking say to me:
Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites,
rebels who have rebelled against me;
they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day.
Hard of face and obstinate of heart
are they to whom I am sending you.
But you shall say to them: Thus says the LORD GOD!
And whether they heed or resist—for they are a rebellious house—
they shall know that a prophet has been among them.
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Commentary on Ez 2:2-5

The introduction to the prophet in the first chapter of the book of Ezekiel describes the heavenly vision in which the prophet is engaged. In the beginning of the second chapter, God issues his call to Ezekiel, sending him to call the Israelites back to faithfulness from which they had rebelled. The implication is clear: the prophet is to expect resistance, but God’s support will identify him as coming from the Lord God.

"Ezekiel never resists the voice of the Lord, never raises any personal objection or difficulty unlike Isaiah and Jeremiah. On the contrary, knowing that he is passing on a divine message, not inventing one of his own, he must do this bravely, and never flag, even if the people refuse to listen (cf. 2:6-7; 3:11). 'True prophets are those who say the words that God has spoken to them; the prophet of God is the one who delivers the words of God to men who cannot or do not deserve to understand God himself' (St Augustine, 'Quaestiones in Heptateuchum', 2, 17)." [9]

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Ezekiel 2:8—3:4

#414 Weekday Year II Context (Tuesday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time)

The Lord God said to me:
As for you, son of man, obey me when I speak to you:
be not rebellious like this house of rebellion,
but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you.

It was then I saw a hand stretched out to me,
in which was a written scroll which he unrolled before me.
It was covered with writing front and back,
and written on it was:
Lamentation and wailing and woe!

He said to me: Son of man, eat what is before you;
eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel.
So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat.
Son of man, he then said to me,
feed your belly and fill your stomach
with this scroll I am giving you.
I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
He said: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel,
and speak my words to them.
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Commentary on Ez 2:8—3:4

The visions depicting the call of the Prophet Ezekiel by God continue as the prophet is offered the word of God to bring to the people. The visions depicting the call of the prophet Ezekiel by God continue as the prophet is offered the word of God to bring to the people.  “The experience of Yahweh’s “hand” is regularly associated with the personal receipt of a vision in the book of Ezekiel (3:22; 8:1; 37:1; 40:1); in 33:22 it triggers an extraordinary divine action. It has antecedents in earlier descriptions of prophetic experiences. The closest to the examples in Ezekiel is in 2 Kgs 3:15, where Yahweh’s hand causes a trance in which an oracle is communicated.” [10]  The offer to have Ezekiel "eat the scroll" is symbolic of his internalization of the word of God. He takes it into himself, and knows its meaning in his heart. (The ancient Hebrew made the “stomach” the equivalent of the heart in modern usage.)

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Ezekiel 3:17-21

#612 Proper of Saints Context (St. John Mary Vianney, Aug 4)

#719 Commons Context (Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

#882 Mass for Various Needs Context (II. For Public Needs, 13. For the Country or a City or For Those Who Serve in Public Office or For the Congress or For the President of For the Progress of Peoples, 10.)

The word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman
for the house of Israel.
When you hear a word from my mouth,
you shall warn them for me.

If I say to the wicked man,
You shall surely die;
and you do not warn him or speak out
to dissuade him from his wicked conduct so that he may live:
the wicked man shall die for his sins,
but I will hold you responsible for his death.
If, on the other hand, you have warned the wicked man,
yet he has not turned away from his evil
nor from his wicked conduct,
then he shall die for his sin,
but you shall save your life.

If a virtuous man turns away from virtue and does wrong
when I place a stumbling block before him, he shall die.
He shall die for his sin,
and his virtuous deeds shall not be remembered;
but I will hold you responsible for his death
if you did not warn him.
When, on the other hand, you have warned a virtuous man not to sin,
and he has in fact not sinned,
he shall surely live because of the warning,
and you shall save your own life.
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Commentary on Ez 3:17-21

This passage from Ezekiel is what is called the “Fourth Commission” of the Prophet (the fourth of five elements of the prophet’s call to the Lord’s service. In this fourth commission he is called to be the “Watchman” of the people. (Scholarly study of this passage proposes it was not originally placed in this place but is actually much later in the narrative and is actually a parallel to Ezekiel 33:1-9.) The prophet is called to address the captives of Israel whom he is to keep faithful to Yahweh as they are confronted with the temptations of an affluent pagan society. This “watchman” role also finds parallels in Hosea 9:8; Isaiah2l:6ff.; 56:10,58:7; and Jeremiah 6:17. “In Ez, it embodies the principle of personal responsibility applied to the prophetic office.”[1]

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Ezekiel 9:1-7; 10:18-22

#415 Weekday Year II Context (Wednesday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time)

The Lord cried loud for me to hear: Come, you scourges of the city!
With that I saw six men coming from the direction
of the upper gate which faces the north,
each with a destroying weapon in his hand.
In their midst was a man dressed in linen,
with a writer’s case at his waist.
They entered and stood beside the bronze altar.
Then he called to the man dressed in linen
with the writer’s case at his waist, saying to him:
Pass through the city, through Jerusalem,
and mark a “Thau” on the foreheads of those who moan and groan
over all the abominations that are practiced within it.
To the others I heard the Lord say:
Pass through the city after him and strike!
Do not look on them with pity nor show any mercy!
Old men, youths and maidens, women and children–wipe them out!
But do not touch any marked with the “Thau”; begin at my sanctuary.
So they began with the men, the elders, who were in front of the temple.
Defile the temple, he said to them, and fill the courts with the slain;
then go out and strike in the city.

Then the glory of the Lord left the threshold of the temple
and rested upon the cherubim.
These lifted their wings, and I saw them rise from the earth,
the wheels rising along with them.
They stood at the entrance of the eastern gate of the Lord’s house,
and the glory of the God of Israel was up above them.
Then the cherubim lifted their wings, and the wheels went along with them,
while up above them was the glory of the God of Israel.
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Commentary on Ez 9:1-7; 10:18-22

In this vision from Ezekiel the Lord calls down retribution upon the idolatrous people of Jerusalem. His oracle predicts the Assyrian invasion by King Nebuchadnezzar symbolically. There were seven attackers coming from the north. Seven is the number of completeness in Hebrew numerology, indicating that the destruction of Jerusalem would be complete. The scribe (“a man dressed in linen, with a writer’s case at his waist.”) would indicate that these invaders were sent by God rather than a wicked invading army. They marked the innocent with an “X” on their foreheads (the letter Thau forms an X) reminiscent of the mark of Cain (Genesis 4:15). God then strikes both the temple and Jerusalem sparing those who were marked.

All this is done as the Lord prepares to abandon the city (“Then the glory of the Lord left the threshold of the temple”). The abandonment is in the same detail as the beatific vision of God’s presence; the “glory of the Lord,” the “cherubim” with their wings, lifting their wheels. The vision foresees the utter abandonment of Jerusalem by God.

CCC: Ez 9:4-6 1296
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Ezekiel 12:1-12

#416 Weekday Year II Context (Thursday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time)

The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house;
they have eyes to see but do not see,
and ears to hear but do not hear,
for they are a rebellious house.
Now, son of man, during the day while they are looking on,
prepare your baggage as though for exile,
and again while they are looking on,
migrate from where you live to another place;
perhaps they will see that they are a rebellious house.
You shall bring out your baggage like an exile in the daytime
while they are looking on;
in the evening, again while they are looking on,
you shall go out like one of those driven into exile;
while they look on, dig a hole in the wall and pass through it;
while they look on, shoulder the burden and set out in the darkness;
cover your face that you may not see the land,
for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.

I did as I was told.
During the day I brought out my baggage
as though it were that of an exile,
and at evening I dug a hole through the wall with my hand
and, while they looked on, set out in the darkness,
shouldering my burden.

Then, in the morning, the word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, did not the house of Israel, that rebellious house,
ask you what you were doing?
Tell them: Thus says the Lord God:
This oracle concerns Jerusalem
and the whole house of Israel within it.
I am a sign for you:
as I have done, so shall it be done to them;
as captives they shall go into exile.
The prince who is among them shall shoulder his burden
and set out in darkness,
going through a hole he has dug out in the wall,
and covering his face lest he be seen by anyone.
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Commentary on Ez 12:1-12

As a consequence of their rebellion against the Law of Moses, the Prophet Ezekiel predicts the nature of the defeat and exile of the Israelites from Jerusalem. Ezekiel is told to reenact the exile as “a sign” of what is to come. He is told to “dig a hole” in the wall, a symbol of the broken walls of Jerusalem, and to hide his face, a symbol of shame or grief (see Jeremiah 14:4).

"Ezekiel's symbolic action stands for what will happen to King Zedekiah (v. 10: cf. 2 Kings 25:2-7), who is not mentioned here by either name or title of king. He is called 'the prince in Jerusalem,' not 'prince of Judah', to indicate that catastrophe will befall the city and its inhabitants." [7]

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Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63

#417 Weekday Year II Context (Friday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time)

The word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations.
Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem:
By origin and birth you are of the land of Canaan;
your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.
As for your birth, the day you were born your navel cord was not cut;
you were neither washed with water nor anointed,
nor were you rubbed with salt, nor swathed in swaddling clothes.
No one looked on you with pity or compassion
to do any of these things for you.
Rather, you were thrown out on the ground as something loathsome,
the day you were born.

Then I passed by and saw you weltering in your blood.
I said to you: Live in your blood and grow like a plant in the field.
You grew and developed, you came to the age of puberty;
your breasts were formed, your hair had grown,
but you were still stark naked.
Again I passed by you and saw that you were now old enough for love.
So I spread the corner of my cloak over you to cover your nakedness;
I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you;
you became mine, says the Lord GOD.
Then I bathed you with water, washed away your blood,
and anointed you with oil.
I clothed you with an embroidered gown,
put sandals of fine leather on your feet;
I gave you a fine linen sash and silk robes to wear.
I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms,
a necklace about your neck, a ring in your nose,
pendants in your ears, and a glorious diadem upon your head.
Thus you were adorned with gold and silver;
your garments were of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth.
Fine flour, honey, and oil were your food.
You were exceedingly beautiful, with the dignity of a queen.
You were renowned among the nations for your beauty, perfect as it was,
because of my splendor which I had bestowed on you,
says the Lord GOD.

But you were captivated by your own beauty,
you used your renown to make yourself a harlot,
and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by,
whose own you became.

Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,
and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.
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Commentary on Ez 16:1-15, 60, 63

Ezekiel once more calls the people of Jerusalem to repentance. In this discourse, he describes God’s relationship to the people as an allegory to a marriage. He begins by reminding them of their origins. Jerusalem was first established by Canaanites, and was conquered by the Israelites under Joshua. When King David established Jerusalem as the center of Judaism, he brought the Ark of the Covenant to the temple there. Solomon, in his turn, made her beautiful, adorning her with all manner of riches. But the people were not faithful. They “played the harlot” adopting pagan rituals (see also Hosea 4: 13-14 and 2 Kings 21:1-18). Because of this, she was captured and despoiled, but even so, Yahweh gives her pardon and extends his hand of forgiveness.

CCC: Ez 16 219; Ez 16 1611
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Ezekiel 16:59-63

#417 Weekday Year II Context (Friday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time)

Thus says the LORD:
I will deal with you according to what you have done,
you who despised your oath, breaking a covenant.
Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,
and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you.
Then you shall remember your conduct and be ashamed
when I take your sisters, those older and younger than you,
and give them to you as daughters,
even though I am not bound by my covenant with you.
For I will re-establish my covenant with you,
that you may know that I am the LORD,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.
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Commentary on Ez 16:59-63

In this shorter form, the Prophet extends the hand of forgiveness as he speaks with God’s voice. Continuing the allegory of an unfaithful wife who is cast out by her lover, he tells the people of Jerusalem that in spite of all they have done, God will reestablish his covenant with them. God forgives them (an act that, because of their shame, they cannot understand).

CCC: Ez 16 219; Ez 16 1611
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Ezekiel 17:22-24

#92B Solemnities B Context (11th Sunday in Ordinary Time B)

Thus says the Lord GOD:
I, too, will take from the crest of the cedar,
from its topmost branches tear off a tender shoot,
and plant it on a high and lofty mountain;
on the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it.
It shall put forth branches and bear fruit,
and become a majestic cedar.
Birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it,
every winged thing in the shade of its boughs.
And all the trees of the field shall know
that I, the LORD,
bring low the high tree,
lift high the lowly tree,
wither up the green tree,
and make the withered tree bloom.
As I, the LORD, have spoken, so will I do.
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Commentary on Ez 17:22-24

The prophet uses the allegory of the cedar to represent the fruitfulness of those who come to God. He will tear off and plant “a tender shoot” (a vital and growing part of the tree) on a "high and lofty mountain" (high places: in the Hebrew tradition representing places were God visits and dwells). This favored shoot (e.g. a shoot from the stump of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1) representing the Messiah) will grow, and all creation, peoples of every nation, will seek the life it gives. Ezekiel envisions the wood of the cross which lifts up the lowly and brings the mighty to justice.

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Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32

#418 Weekday Year II Context (Saturday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time)

The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, what is the meaning of this proverb
that you recite in the land of Israel:

“Fathers have eaten green grapes,
thus their children’s teeth are on edge”?

As I live, says the Lord God:
I swear that there shall no longer be anyone among you
who will repeat this proverb in Israel.
For all lives are mine;
the life of the father is like the life of the son, both are mine;
only the one who sins shall die.

If a man is virtuous—if he does what is right and just,
if he does not eat on the mountains,
nor raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel;
if he does not defile his neighbor’s wife,
nor have relations with a woman in her menstrual period;
if he oppresses no one,
gives back the pledge received for a debt,
commits no robbery;
if he gives food to the hungry and clothes the naked;
if he does not lend at interest nor exact usury;
if he holds off from evildoing,
judges fairly between a man and his opponent;
if he lives by my statutes and is careful to observe my ordinances,
that man is virtuous—he shall surely live, says the Lord God.

But if he begets a son who is a thief, a murderer,
or lends at interest and exacts usury–
this son certainly shall not live.
Because he practiced all these abominations, he shall surely die;
his death shall be his own fault.

Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel,
each one according to his ways, says the Lord God.
Turn and be converted from all your crimes,
that they may be no cause of guilt for you.
Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed,
and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
Why should you die, O house of Israel?
For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,
says the Lord God. Return and live!
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Commentary on Ez 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32

Although the idea of individual responsibility for sins did not originate with Ezekiel (see 2 Kings 14:6, Jeremiah 31:29 and Deuteronomy 24:16), he gives the most detailed and explicit meaning to the concept. The proverb he quotes is believed, by some scholars, to be a rather cynical formulation of Exodus 20:5 (see Exodus 34:7). His statement refutes the interpretation of other parts of the Law of Moses (specifically Exodus 20:5, Leviticus 26:39-40, and Deuteronomy 5:9) that indicate that God would hold a son accountable for the father’s sins. The new hope of personal accountability is exhorted by the final call to conversion in the final verse of the selection – “Return and live!”

CCC: Ez 18:5-9 2056
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Ezekiel 18:21-28

#228 Weekday Years I & II Context (Friday of the 1st Week of Lent)

Thus says the Lord GOD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he committed,
if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?
says the Lord GOD.
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way
that he may live?

And if the virtuous man turns from the path of virtue to do evil,
the same kind of abominable things that the wicked man does,
can he do this and still live?
None of his virtuous deeds shall be remembered,
because he has broken faith and committed sin;
because of this, he shall die.
You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!”
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if the wicked, turning from the wickedness he has committed,
does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
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Commentary on Ez 18:21-28

The Prophet Ezekiel expounds upon the concept of individual responsibility (see also 2 Kings 14:6, Jeremiah 31:29ff, and Deuteronomy 24:16). He begins this passage by saying that if an evil person turns away from their sins they will receive redemption. Speaking for God, he says that the Lord does not enjoy punishing those who disobey, rather he rejoices when repentance leads to redemption. The reading continues saying that if a virtuous person falls into sin and turns from the righteous path, that person will die because of their sin. It has been postulated that this may have been part of a liturgical rite that was an act of contrition prior to entering the temple in that it brings into consideration the Code of the Law and the Code of Holiness.

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Ezekiel 18:21-23, 30-32

#948 Mass for Various Needs Context (IV. For Various Needs, 27. For Remission of Sins, Second Option)

Thus says the LORD:
If the wicked man turns away from all the sins he has committed,
  if he keeps all my statutes and does what is right and just,
  he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of the crimes he committed shall be remembered against him;
  he shall live because of the virtue he has practiced.
Do I indeed derive any pleasure from the death of the wicked?
  says the Lord GOD.
Do I not rather rejoice when he turns from his evil way
  that he may live?

Therefore 1 will judge you, house of Israel,
  each one according to his ways, says the Lord GOD.
Turn and be converted from all your crimes,
  that there may be no cause of guilt for you.
Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed,
  and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.
Why should you die, O house of Israel?
For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,
  says the Lord GOD.
Return and live!
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Commentary on Ez 18:21-23, 30-32

The Prophet Ezekiel expounds upon the concept of individual responsibility (see also 2 Kings 14:6, Jeremiah 31:29ff, and Deuteronomy 24:16). He begins this passage by saying that if an evil person turns away from their sins they will earn redemption. Speaking for God, he says that the Lord does not enjoy punishing those who disobey, rather he rejoices when repentance leads to redemption. This prophetic view is consistent with that expressed also in the Wisdom literature; God cannot hate what he has created (Wisdom 11:22ff).

The passage concludes in v. 30-32 with a call to repentance.  God does not wish to punish his children, whom he loves.  Rather he wishes them to enjoy eternal life, his promise, sealed in the Blood of the Lamb.

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Ezekiel 18:25-28

#136A Solemnities A Context (26th Sunday in Ordinary Time A)-

Thus says the Lord:
You say, "The Lord 's way is not fair!"
Hear now, house of Israel:
Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?
When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,
it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.
But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed,
he does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life;
since he has turned away from all the sins that he has committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.
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Commentary on Ez 18:25-28

The theme of this section of Ezekiel is: “The Lord’s way is just.” In these verses the prophet presents an apologia of the fairness of the Law saying that those who sin against God die, but those who turn from sin and repent live. This argument stresses individual responsibility and the ability of the faithful to choose life or death, fully informed. The author makes it clear, “when someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity,” that even from the gates of heaven, there can be a path to hell. [8]

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Ezekiel 24:15-23

#419 Weekday Year II Context (Monday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time)

The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, by a sudden blow
I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes,
but do not mourn or weep or shed any tears.
Groan in silence, make no lament for the dead,
bind on your turban, put your sandals on your feet,
do not cover your beard, and do not eat the customary bread.
That evening my wife died,
and the next morning I did as I had been commanded.
Then the people asked me, “Will you not tell us what all these things
that you are doing mean for us?”
I therefore spoke to the people that morning, saying to them:
Thus the word of the Lord came to me:
Say to the house of Israel:
Thus says the Lord God:
I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold of your pride,
the delight of your eyes, the desire of your soul.
The sons and daughters you left behind shall fall by the sword.
Ezekiel shall be a sign for you:
all that he did you shall do when it happens.
Thus you shall know that I am the Lord.
You shall do as I have done,
not covering your beards nor eating the customary bread.
Your turbans shall remain on your heads, your sandals on your feet.
You shall not mourn or weep,
but you shall rot away because of your sins and groan one to another.
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Commentary on Ez 24:15-23

Ezekiel becomes a sign for the people, and is given a metaphor of the fall of Jerusalem. He is told not to observe the customary mourning ritual (see Jeremiah 16:7). The message to the people of Jerusalem would be that they would be forced to flee without being able to say farewell and the young they leave behind (presumably to defend the city) would die without mourners.

From a theological perspective the last verse provides recourse: sins unreconciled will cause the death (rot) of the soul. It is only through reconciliation with God that life and peace are possible.

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Ezekiel 28:1-10

#420 Weekday Year II Context (Tuesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time)

The word of the Lord came to me: Son of man,
say to the prince of Tyre:
Thus says the Lord God:

Because you are haughty of heart,
you say, “A god am I!
I occupy a godly throne
in the heart of the sea!”—
And yet you are a man, and not a god,
however you may think yourself like a god.
Oh yes, you are wiser than Daniel,
there is no secret that is beyond you.
By your wisdom and your intelligence
you have made riches for yourself;
You have put gold and silver
into your treasuries.
By your great wisdom applied to your trading
you have heaped up your riches;
your heart has grown haughty from your riches–
therefore thus says the Lord God:
Because you have thought yourself
to have the mind of a god,
Therefore I will bring against you
foreigners, the most barbarous of nations.
They shall draw their swords
against your beauteous wisdom,
they shall run them through your splendid apparel.
They shall thrust you down to the pit, there to die
a bloodied corpse, in the heart of the sea.
Will you then say, “I am a god!”
when you face your murderers?
No, you are man, not a god,
handed over to those who will slay you.
You shall die the death of the uncircumcised
at the hands of foreigners,
for I have spoken, says the Lord God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ez 28:1-10

This selection from Ezekiel is the first of two back-to-back oracles against Tyre. In this first section the prophet uses satire and irony to describe the city’s king as thinking, because he has been able to amass great wealth, he is a god. He (the king) believes himself to possess wisdom greater than Daniel, but all of this will come crashing down. As a consequence of being so presumptuous, Ezekiel predicts that God will allow outside forces to destroy the king, and the state will fall to obscurity.

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Ezekiel 33:7-9

#127A Solemnities A Context (23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time A)

Thus says the Lord:
You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel;
when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.
If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die, ”
and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way,
the wicked shall die for his guilt,
but I will hold you responsible for his death.
But if you warn the wicked,
trying to turn him from his way,
and he refuses to turn from his way,
he shall die for his guilt,
but you shall save yourself.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ez 33:7-9

This selection is part of the prophet’s call to holiness. Here the oracle of Ezekiel recalls God’s instructions. The prophet is to correct those who are identified to him as behaving in ways that will result in their death. Failure to warn them prophetically would constitute a rejection of God’s call, and the punishment meted out for the sinner would also be applied to the prophet who failed (“but I will hold you responsible for his death”). In a covenant-like formula God also says if the warning is unheeded no punishment shall fall to Ezekiel.

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Ezekiel 34:1-11

#421 Weekday Year II Context (Wednesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time)

The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel,
in these words prophesy to them to the shepherds:
Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the shepherds of Israel
who have been pasturing themselves!
Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep?
You have fed off their milk, worn their wool,
and slaughtered the fatlings,
but the sheep you have not pastured.
You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick
nor bind up the injured.
You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost,
but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.
So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd,
and became food for all the wild beasts.
My sheep were scattered
and wandered over all the mountains and high hills;
my sheep were scattered over the whole earth,
with no one to look after them or to search for them.

Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
As I live, says the Lord God,
because my sheep have been given over to pillage,
and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast,
for lack of a shepherd;
because my shepherds did not look after my sheep,
but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep;
because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
Thus says the Lord God:
I swear I am coming against these shepherds.
I will claim my sheep from them
and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep
so that they may no longer pasture themselves.
I will save my sheep,
that they may no longer be food for their mouths.

For thus says the Lord God:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
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Commentary on Ez 34:1-11

The Prophet Ezekiel addresses the victims of the Babylonian exile for the first time. He offers an indictment against the religious leaders of Israel (“shepherds of Israel”). The use of the shepherd image in the Old Testament generally refers to the kings or rulers (perhaps stemming from the time of King David who was a shepherd, see 1 Samuel 17:34, Psalm 78:70-72. It is also used to refer to the Great Shepherd, God as in Psalm 23:1ff and Psalm 80:2-3). The prophet criticizes these leaders for living in the comfort of their office and neglecting their roles (“pasturing themselves”), while the people wander without spiritual leadership. As a result of the leaders' laxness, the people have fallen prey to other religious practices, pagan practices, leading to spiritual death (“So they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and became food for all the wild beasts”).

In consequence of this neglect on the part of the religious leadership, God promises to supplant them, and replace them with a good shepherd (“I myself will look after and tend my sheep.”), seen as a prediction of the Messiah, the Son of God who is God.

CCC: Ez 34:11-31 754
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Ezekiel 34:11-16

#172C Solemnity C Context (Most Sacred Heart of Jesus C)

#578 Proper of Saints Context (St. Norbert, Jun 6)

#601A Proper of Saints Context (St. Apollinaris, Jul 20)+

#655A Proper of Saints Context (St. John XXIII, Oct 11)

#700 Proper of Saints Context (St. Sylvester, Dec 31)

#719 Common Context (Common of Pastors)

#827 Mass for Various Needs Context (I. For the Holy Church, 1. For the Church, 3.)

#995 Votive Mass Context (The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 6.)

Thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
As a shepherd tends his flock
when he finds himself among his scattered sheep,
so will I tend my sheep.
I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered
when it was cloudy and dark.
I will lead them out from among the peoples
and gather them from the foreign lands;
I will bring them back to their own country
and pasture them upon the mountains of Israel
in the land's ravines and all its inhabited places.
In good pastures will I pasture them,
and on the mountain heights of Israel
shall be their grazing ground.
There they shall lie down on good grazing ground,
and in rich pastures shall they be pastured
on the mountains of Israel.
I myself will pasture my sheep;
I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.
The lost I will seek out,
the strayed I will bring back,
the injured I will bind up,
the sick I will heal,
but the sleek and the strong I will destroy,
shepherding them rightly.
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Commentary on Ez 34:11-16

The prophet presents the allegory of God, the shepherd. In this oracle, the vision is that God the Father, like a shepherd, will gather the people of Israel from the foreign lands to which they have been driven, and bring them back to “the mountains of Israel.”

"This beautiful oracle resounds in our Lord's parable of the Good Shepherd who takes care of his sheep (cf. John 10:1-21), in what he says about the Father's joy on finding the lost sheep (cf. Matthew 18: 12-14; Luke 15:4-7), and in things he has to say about the Last Judgment as reported by St Matthew (Matthew 25:31-46)."[4]

(Most Sacred Heart of Jesus)
The tenderness shown by the good shepherd toward the sheep is especially pertinent on a feast day where we celebrate the intense love of Christ for the people of the world.

CCC: Ez 34:11-31 754
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Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17

#160A Solemnities A Context (The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King A)

For thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.
As a shepherd tends his flock
when he finds himself among his scattered sheep,
so will I tend my sheep.
I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered
when it was cloudy and dark.
I myself will pasture my sheep;
I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD.
The lost I will seek out,
the strayed I will bring back,
the injured I will bind up,
the sick I will heal,
but the sleek and the strong I will destroy,
shepherding them rightly.

As for you, my sheep, says the Lord GOD,
I will judge between one sheep and another,
between rams and goats.
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Commentary on Ez 34:11-12, 15-17

The prophet presents the allegory of God, the shepherd. In this oracle the vision is that God the Father, like a shepherd, will gather the people of Israel from the foreign lands to which they have been driven, and bring them back to “the mountains of Israel.”

"This beautiful oracle resounds in our Lord's parable of the Good Shepherd who takes care of his sheep (cf. John 10:1-21), in what he says about the Father's joy on finding the lost sheep (cf. Matthew 18: 12-14; Luke 15:4-7), and in things he has to say about the Last Judgment as reported by St Matthew (Matthew 25:31-46)."[4]

The tenderness shown by the good shepherd toward the sheep is especially comforting on a feast day where we celebrate the intense love of Christ for the people of the world. However, we are reminded in v. 17 that the each person will be held accountable for their actions.

CCC: Ez 34:11-31 754
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Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18-28

#41ABC Solemnities ABC Context (Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter)

The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their land,
they defiled it by their conduct and deeds.
Therefore I poured out my fury upon them
because of the blood that they poured out on the ground,
and because they defiled it with idols.
I scattered them among the nations,
dispersing them over foreign lands;
according to their conduct and deeds I judged them.
But when they came among the nations wherever they came,
they served to profane my holy name,
because it was said of them: "These are the people of the LORD,
yet they had to leave their land."
So I have relented because of my holy name
which the house of Israel profaned
among the nations where they came.
Therefore say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD:
Not for your sakes do I act, house of Israel,
but for the sake of my holy name,
which you profaned among the nations to which you came.
I will prove the holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations,
in whose midst you have profaned it.
Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD,
when in their sight I prove my holiness through you.
For I will take you away from among the nations,
gather you from all the foreign lands,
and bring you back to your own land.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you
to cleanse you from all your impurities,
and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you,
taking from your bodies your stony hearts
and giving you natural hearts.
I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes,
careful to observe my decrees.
You shall live in the land I gave your fathers;
you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
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Commentary on Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28

Contained within this selection from Ezekiel is one of the earliest and most complete descriptions of the theology of baptism (Ezekiel 36:24-28). We see the Lord’s great love for the people manifest in first purifying them (“I will sprinkle clean water upon you…”) and then giving them a conversion of heart and the gift of the Holy Spirit (“I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you…”). Implicit in this passage is the divine adoption that takes place in baptism.  God claims his sons and daughters as his own possession, his children, and provides an inheritance, the heavenly kingdom, eternal salvation.

CCC: Ez 36 64, 2811; Ez 36:20-22 2814; Ez 36:20-21 2812; Ez 36:25-28 715; Ez 36:25-27 1287; Ez 36:26-27 1432; Ez 36:26 368
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Ezekiel 36:23-28

#422 Weekday Year II Context (Thursday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time)

Thus says the Lord:
I will prove the holiness of my great name,
profaned among the nations,
in whose midst you have profaned it.
Thus the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God,
when in their sight I prove my holiness through you.
For I will take you away from among the nations,
gather you from all the foreign lands,
and bring you back to your own land.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you
to cleanse you from all your impurities,
and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you,
taking from your bodies your stony hearts
and giving you natural hearts.
I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes,
careful to observe my decrees.
You shall live in the land I gave your ancestors;
you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ez 36:23-28

The prophet envisions the blessings of God being poured out upon the faithful, transforming them with an interior conversion of heart, such that they become a sign of God’s great power to all the lands. (“Thus the nations shall know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when in their sight I prove my holiness through you.”) This conversion is initiated by cleansing (“I will sprinkle clean water upon you”) and only God may do this; forgiveness is his alone. The process is continued with an indelible change of heart, accomplished this time through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (“I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you”). This process, once completed, brings forth a new creation and heavenly adoption (“you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”). Theologically, this passage embodies the modern understanding of the gifts given in the sacrament of baptism.

CCC: Ez 36 64, 2811; Ez 36:25-28 715; Ez 36:25-27 1287; Ez 36:26-27 1432; Ez 36:26 368
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Ezekiel 36:24-28

#751 Ritual Mass Context (I. For the Conferral of Christian Initiation, 1. Catechumenate and Christian Initiation of Adults, 9.)

#756 Ritual Mass Context (I. For the Conferral of Christian Initiation, 2. Conferral of Infant Baptism, Second Option)

#764 Ritual Mass Context (I. For the Conferral of Christian Initiation, 4. Confirmation, 4.)

#862 Mass for Various Needs Context (I. For the Holy Church, 9. For the Laity, First Option)

#867 Mass for Various Needs Context (I. For the Holy Church, 10. For the Unity of Christians, Second Option)

Thus says the Lord:
I will take you away from among the nations,
gather you from all the foreign lands,
and bring you back to your own land.
I will sprinkle clean water upon you
to cleanse you from all your impurities,
and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you,
taking from your bodies your stony hearts
and giving you natural hearts.
I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes,
careful to observe my decrees.
You shall live in the land I gave your ancestors;
you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ez 36:24-28

The Prophet declares that God has adopted the faithful as a special possession. In adopting those he calls he first purifies them, cleansing them from sin (“I will sprinkle clean water upon you”) and only God may do this; forgiveness is His alone. The process is continued with an indelible change of heart accomplished this time through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (“I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you”). This process, once completed, brings forth a new creation and heavenly adoption. (“…you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”) Theologically, this passage embodies the modern understanding of the gifts given in the Sacrament of Baptism.

CCC: Ez 36 64, 2811; Ez 36:25-28 715; Ez 36:25-27 1287; Ez 36:26-27 1432; Ez 36:26 368
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Ezekiel 37:1-14

#62ABC Solemnities ABC Context (Pentecost at the Vigil Mass)

#423 Weekday year II Context (Friday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time)

The hand of the LORD came upon me,
and he led me out in the spirit of the LORD
and set me in the center of the plain,
which was now filled with bones.
He made me walk among the bones in every direction
so that I saw how many they were on the surface of the plain.
How dry they were!
He asked me:
Son of man, can these bones come to life?
I answered, "Lord GOD, you alone know that."
Then he said to me:
Prophesy over these bones, and say to them:
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.
I will put sinews upon you, make flesh grow over you,
cover you with skin, and put spirit in you
so that you may come to life and know that I am the LORD.
I, Ezekiel, prophesied as I had been told,
and even as I was prophesying I heard a noise;
it was a rattling as the bones came together, bone joining bone.
I saw the sinews and the flesh come upon them,
and the skin cover them, but there was no spirit in them.
Then the LORD said to me:
Prophesy to the spirit, prophesy, son of man,
and say to the spirit: Thus says the Lord GOD:
From the four winds come, O spirit,
and breathe into these slam that they may come to life.
I prophesied as he told me, and the spirit came into them;
they came alive and stood upright, a vast army.
Then he said to me:
Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.
They have been saying,
"Our bones are dried up,
our hope is lost, and we are cut off."
Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD:
O my people, 1 will open your graves
and have you rise from them,
and bring you back to the land of Israel.
Then you shall know that I am the LORD,
when I open your graves and have you rise from them,
O my people!
I will put my spirit in you that you may live,
and I will settle you upon your land;
thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD
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Commentary on Ez 37:1-14

The prophet is in Babylon and has the mystical experience of being led into the desert among bones (possibly of those who died in battle). Rather than speaking of “the resurrection” he is speaking of the restoration of Israel. His prophesying is intended to put a new spirit into the exiles, that they might have hope in the Lord. From the perspective of the Christian, the reference is to the resurrection promised by Christ, and the spirit breathed into the flesh is seen as the gift of the Holy Spirit.

CCC: Ez 37:1-14 715; Ez 37:10 703
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Ezekiel 37:12-14

#34A Solemnity Context (5th Sunday of Lent A)

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.
Then you shall know that I am the Lord,
when I open your graves and have you rise from them,
O my people!
I will put my spirit in you that you may live,
and I will settle you upon your land;
thus you shall know that I am the Lord.
I have promised, and I will do it, says the Lord.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ez 37:12-14

The Prophet Ezekiel, in this part of his oracle, was speaking metaphorically of the Hebrew people in exile being returned to the land God had promised. In this mystic vision he sees this event as a type of resurrection, the gift of new life. Within the context of Christ’s revelation the fuller truth is revealed as Christ comes in the new resurrection.

"The image of the resurrection would not have been used to describe the restoration of the people of Israel if the future resurrection of the dead had not been foreseen, because no one can be led to draw a conclusion from an idea that has no basis in reality." (St. Jerome, Commentarii in Ezechielem, 27, 1ff.)

CCC: Ez 37:1-14 715; Ez 37:10 703
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Ezekiel 37:15-19, 21b-22, 26-28

#867 Mass for Various Needs Context (I. For the Holy Church, 10. For the Unity of Christians, Third Option)

Thus the word of the LORD came to me:
Now, son of man, take a single stick, and write on it:
Judah and those children of Israel who are associated with him.
Then take another stick and write on it:
Joseph the stick of Ephraim
and all the house of Israel associated with him.
Then join the two sticks together,
so that they form one stick in your hand.
When your countrymen ask you,
"Will you not tell us what you mean by all this?"
answer them: Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim,
and of the tribes of Israel associated with him,
and I will join to it the stick of Judah,
making them a single stick; they shall be one in my hand.
I will take the children of Israel from among the nations
to which they have come,
and gather them from all sides
to bring them back to their land.
I will make them one nation upon the land,
in the mountains of Israel,
and there shall be one prince for them all.
Never again shall they be two nations,
and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.
I will make with them a covenant of peace;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them,
and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever.
My dwelling shall be with them;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD,
who make Israel holy,
when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.
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Commentary on Ez 37:15-19, 21b-22, 26-28

The Prophet Ezekiel, in this part of his oracle was speaking metaphorically of the Hebrew people in exile being returned to the land God had promised. In this passage he sees the previously divided kingdom (Judah and Israel) joined into one people. This unity is, according to Ezekiel's vision, what God most desires for his people; that they be one in worshiping him. God in his turn will guide and protect them as he brings them back from all the ends of the world.

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Ezekiel 37:21-28

#256 Weekday Years I & II Context (Saturday of the 5th Week of Lent)

Thus says the Lord GOD:
I will take the children of Israel from among the nations
to which they have come,
and gather them from all sides to bring them back to their land.
I will make them one nation upon the land,
in the mountains of Israel,
and there shall be one prince for them all.
Never again shall they be two nations,
and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms.

No longer shall they defile themselves with their idols,
their abominations, and all their transgressions.
I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy,
and cleanse them so that they may be my people
and I may be their God.
My servant David shall be prince over them,
and there shall be one shepherd for them all;
they shall live by my statutes and carefully observe my decrees.
They shall live on the land that I gave to my servant Jacob,
the land where their fathers lived;
they shall live on it forever,
they, and their children, and their children's children,
with my servant David their prince forever.
I will make with them a covenant of peace;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them,
and I will multiply them, and put my sanctuary among them forever.
My dwelling shall be with them;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Thus the nations shall know that it is I, the LORD,
who make Israel holy,
when my sanctuary shall be set up among them forever.
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Commentary on Ez 37:21-28

The Prophet Ezekiel was probably not aware that this oracle would have great meaning beyond what even he foresaw. He predicts the return of the Hebrew people from their exile in Babylon, and the restoration of Israel under a king from David’s line. In this return, the prophet sees a conversion of the people (“I will deliver them from all their sins of apostasy, and cleanse them so that they may be my people”), a return also to the law of the Lord which they abandon during the exile, and a return to God’s covenant.

For us, looking back at his words we can see Ezekiel predict the coming of the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, and how he will be the one prince over the entire world. It will be Jesus who establishes the covenant of peace and reveals God’s love.

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Ezekiel 43:1-7ab

#424 Weekday Year II Context (Saturday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time)

The angel led me to the gate which faces the east,
and there I saw the glory of the God of Israel
coming from the east.
I heard a sound like the roaring of many waters,
and the earth shone with his glory.
The vision was like that which I had seen
when he came to destroy the city,
and like that which I had seen by the river Chebar.
I fell prone as the glory of the Lord entered the temple
by way of the gate which faces the east,
but spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court.
And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the Lord.
Then I heard someone speaking to me from the temple,
while the man stood beside me.
The voice said to me:
Son of man, this is where my throne shall be,
this is where I will set the soles of my feet;
here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever.
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Commentary on Ez 43:1-7ab

This is the climax of Ezekiel’s vision. He sees the restoration of the temple and the return of God. He speaks from a period of exile in Babylon and envisions a time when the temple will be rebuilt and God’s presence with his people will be eternal. The prophet’s statement in v. 3: “The vision was like that which I had seen when he came to destroy the city, and like that which I had seen by the river Chebar,” is not like the one at the river Chebar (Ezekiel 1:1, 8-11). Rather it is more like the vision in Ezekiel 9.[3] That which was destroyed will be rebuilt; God’s salvation will be offered to the faithful who were defeated and are without hope.

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Ezekiel 43:1-2, 4-7a

#701 Commons Context (The Common of the Anniversary of the Dedication of a Church)

The angel led me to the gate which faces the east,
and there I saw the glory of the God of Israel
coming from the east.
I heard a sound like the roaring of many waters,
and the earth shone with his glory.
I fell prone as the glory of the LORD entered the temple
by way of the gate which faces the east,
but spirit lifted me up and brought me to the inner court.
And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the LORD.
Then I heard someone speaking to me from the temple,
while the man stood beside me.
The voice said to me:
Son of man, this is where my throne shall be,
this is where I will set the soles of my feet;
here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ez 43:1-2, 4-7a

This is the climax of Ezekiel’s vision. He sees the restoration of the temple and the return of God. He speaks from a period of exile in Babylon and envisions a time when the temple will be rebuilt and God’s presence with his people will be eternal. That which was destroyed will be rebuilt, God’s salvation will be offered to those who were defeated and are without hope.

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Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12

#245 Weekday Years I & II Context (Tuesday of the 4th Week of Lent)

#756 Ritual Mass Context (I. For the Conferral of Christian Initiation, 2. Conferral of Infant Baptism, Third Option)

The angel brought me, Ezekiel,
back to the entrance of the temple of the LORD,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the right side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the right side.
Then when he had walked off to the east
with a measuring cord in his hand,
he measured off a thousand cubits
and had me wade through the water,
which was ankle-deep.
He measured off another thousand
and once more had me wade through the water,
which was now knee-deep.
Again he measured off a thousand and had me wade;
the water was up to my waist.
Once more he measured off a thousand,
but there was now a river through which I could not wade;
for the water had risen so high it had become a river
that could not be crossed except by swimming.
He asked me, “Have you seen this, son of man?”
Then he brought me to the bank of the river, where he had me sit.
Along the bank of the river I saw very many trees on both sides.
He said to me,
“This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
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Commentary on Ez 47:1-9, 12

This vision from Ezekiel alludes to one faith, the one stream flowing from the temple into the Kedron Valley, which is normally a dry wash. The imagery applied here has been used in other places in Scripture (Amos 9:13; Joel 4:18; Zechariah 14:8; Psalm 36:9-10; Revelation 22:1) and probably represents the water flowing from the Garden of Eden, first stopped by original sin then restarted with Moses striking the stone in the desert during the Exodus (Numbers 20:11), and finally in Jerusalem in the end times, the eschaton. The analogy is to one faith, flowing into the world bringing life and well-being to any who partake.

"Early Christian tradition links this text of St John [John 7:37] with Ezekiel's vision, seeing in the spring in the temple the waters of Baptism that flow from Christ who is life, or from Christ's side on the altar of the cross: We go down to the water's edge steeped in our sins and impurity, and we walk out of the water, our hearts filled with grace, fear of the Lord and hope in Jesus" ("Epistula Barnabae" 11, 10)." [7]

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Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12

#671 Proper of Saints Context (Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, Nov 9)

#701 Commons Context (Common of the Dedication of a Church)

#31O-2 BVM Context (The Blessed Virgin Mary, Fountain of Salvation, I)

The angel brought me [Ezekiel]
back to the entrance of the temple,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me,
“This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
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Commentary on Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12

The scriptural offerings begin with a first reading taken from a (truncated) excerpt from Ezekiel’s vision of the renewed temple in Jerusalem (47:1-2, 8-9, 12). Because the presence of the Lord has returned to the temple (following the return of Israel itself from exile), the waters flowing from the temple have become life-giving in the spectacular way described – even the Dead Sea is seen as being made to teem with fish when the waters enter it. The vision has entered Christian imagination as a powerful symbol of the life (grace) that flows to human beings through God’s presence in the temple of the Church.[2]

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+ Added from the Sacramentary Supplement, provisional number assigned by SOW

[1] See Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, p.350, 22.
[2] Commentary written by Fr. Brenden Byrne, SJ
[3] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 21:87, p. 363
[4] The Navarre Bible: “Major Prophets”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p.733
[5] The Navarre Bible: “Major Prophets”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p.599
[6] The Navarre Bible: “Major Prophets”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 637

[7] The Navarre Bible: “Major Prophets”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 781.

[8] Leslie C. Allen, Ezekiel 1–19, vol. 28, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1994), 279.

[9] The Navarre Bible: “Major Prophets”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 606.

[10] Leslie C. Allen, Ezekiel 1–19, vol. 28, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1994), p. 23.