25 August 2018
Saturday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
When the Lord appears to Ezekiel, he does not remain insensible to the Lord’s presence and coming. Filled with awe at God’s majesty, the prophet casts himself to the ground before the Lord. Reverence, the admission (in word and action) that One far greater than himself had come into his presence, is Ezekiel’s response to glory of God coming to dwell among us.
The exact same Lord teaches the disciples in the Gospel to follow respectfully the teachings of those in religious authority, and to avoid any words or actions of pride (even when those same authorities hypocritically do so). Why? The disciples are taught obedience, because, whether the authorities realize it or not, their authoritative teachings are pointing people towards the Lord. The disciples are taught to be humble, because only through humility will they enter into true union with the Lord.
To dwell with the God who comes to dwell with us, requires that we assume the attitude of humility which He assumes. We dwell with Him when we allow our hearts to desire what His heart desires: to love and to serve. May we ever be nourished by this Lord. May we desire to remain in Him as eagerly as He desires to remain in us.