This blog follows the daily bible readings of the Catholic Church

Reading 1, Ezekiel12:1-12

2 ‘Son of man, you are living among a tribe of rebels who have eyes and never see, they have ears and never hear, because they are a tribe of rebels.3 So, son of man, pack an exile’s bundle and set off for exile by daylight while they watch. You will leave your home and go somewhere else while they watch. Then perhaps they will see that they are a tribe of rebels.4 You will pack your baggage like an exile’s bundle, by daylight, while they watch, and leave like an exile in the evening, while they watch.

5 While they watch, make a hole in the wall, and go out through it. 6 While they watch, you will shoulder your pack and go out into the dark; you will cover your face so that you cannot see the ground, since I have made you an omen for the House of Israel.’

7 I did as I had been told. I packed my baggage like an exile’s bundle, by daylight; and in the evening I made a hole through the wall with my hands; then I went out into the dark and shouldered my pack while they watched.

8 Next morning the word of Yahweh was addressed to me as follows, 9 ‘Son of man, did not the House of Israel, did not that tribe of rebels, ask you, “What are you doing?” 10 Say, “The Lord Yahweh says this: This prophecy concerns Jerusalem and the whole House of Israel who live there.” 11 Say, “I am an omen for you; as I have done, so will be done to them; they will be deported into exile. 12 Their prince will shoulder his pack in the dark and go out through the wall; a hole will be made to let him out; he will cover his face, so that he cannot see the country.

acted parable: humanity part of nature

Ezekiel believed that his country’s policies and way of life would bring disaster. Responding to his experience of God he ventured on an acted parable of the disaster he saw ahead-deportation and exile to Babylon.

(Some scholars say that this book and the whole exile tradition is confected by much later writers. I am doubtful about this degree of scepticism, but even if it is a kind of fiction, it is this kind of fiction, and we are asked to understand the story.)

The purpose of an acted parable is to arouse public questioning. Climate change prophets today have walked around in gas-masks, carried small bottles of water priced visibly at £100 each, covered themselves in protective foil to deflect ultra-violet rays, and so on. They are much abused, but may be doing prophetic work for the dangerously careless economy in which we live. My guess is that the real economic powers have already factored in climate crisis, and that there exist plans for the invasion of countries that possess the crucial resources for life. Scotland seems well placed for invasion. Perhaps I should be standing by one of our lochs, with a gun, defending our water?

Hear the word of the Lord

Gospel, Matthew 18:21—19:1

21 Then Peter went up to him and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’

22 Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.

23 ‘And so the kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. 24 When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; 25 he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. 26 At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet, with the words, “Be patient with me and I will pay the whole sum.” 27 And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt.

28 Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow-servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him, saying, “Pay what you owe me.” 29 His fellow-servant fell at his feet and appealed to him, saying, “Be patient with me and I will pay you.” 30 But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt.

31 His fellow-servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. 32 Then the master sent for the man and said to him, “You wicked servant, I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. 33 Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you?” 34 And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. 35 And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’

Is it accidental that Jesus used economic language to talk of forgiveness?  This parable might be a commentary on the Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” We have not received God’s generosity unless we transmit it: it is the one movement of grace. (Grace-proud judgmentalists take note!)

The economic language however, also tells us that we have not received God’s generosity, if we do not let it influence our dealings with those who owe us money. Of course, as a small business-man Jesus would have expected prompt payment of bills, but he would have been utterly opposed to anyone making a living by lending money at interest or farming debts. The hostility of the early church to much of what we take for granted as legitimate business, should trouble us more than it does.