Listen very carefully - The stones are indeed crying out!

Today at Holy Mass we hear the words of the Prophet Ezekiel…….Ezekiel was born 600 years before Christ and these were his words about what would happen as a result of the coming Messiah….”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”…This process of “gathering in the remnant” is still taking place to this very day - Even within the walls of the Catholic Church…..At the time Ezekiel wrote this narrative, he refers to Israel as being divided….If you listen to Catholic Social Media, you will also get the sense our Church today is divided - How is this possible! - Yet it is….God is still “purifying” his Church and his people…..Everything the Catholic Church proclaims to be true is written down, all you have to do is read it! - Yet - The hearts of men are hard and pride prevents mankind from yielding to God….To this very day segments within the Catholic Church can interpret Vatican II, dogmas, cannons and even Scripture in ways that “twist” what should be crystal clear into something that becomes convoluted….This is the sad story of mankind and this has been going on well before the birth of Jesus Christ as evidenced by what Ezekiel wrote in the Old Testament - But fear not! - God will purify his people and his Church!….Within every human heart the Truth can be found…God is the master builder! - He uses world events, political realities and everyday life to mold us…..Like iron cast into a fire - Mankind when “removed from the furnace” will be magnificent! - A sight to behold…….”Never again shall they be two nations”

“He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together, he guards them as a shepherd his flock”

For a time I taught RCIA - For those who do not know what that is - RCIA is the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults - In plain speak - When a person wants to become Catholic, they must go through a class to learn about the faith - I taught that course for a period of time…While I was teaching this course, I taught that Catholics must be in the state of grace to receive the Blessed Sacrament at Mass…This is not my “opinion” but a perennial teaching of the Church which is support in Scripture…This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1385, 1415) states, Catholics must be in a state of grace—meaning free from mortal sin—to receive Holy Communion. Anyone aware of having committed a mortal sin must receive sacramental absolution (confession) before receiving the Eucharist, as receiving in a state of mortal sin is a grave offense (sacrilege)…….This teaching is very clear - Its written for all the see in “black and white”…..Yet, some of the other instructors in the RCIA class I taught with somehow did not agree with this teaching - HOW is this possible!!!!!….This is a problem and this problem is not unique to the one Church I taught at…In this reflection I am illustrating one example of how our Catholic Church becomes divided….The Church belongs to Jesus Christ - We as members do not “make up the rules”…Its for us to be obedient to all the teachings of the Church……The Church is not a “cafeteria” that we “pick and choose” what we like and dislike…..Disobedience and pride is the root of all division!…..And sadly the “loudest voices” often win the day….In the mean time, God is “at work” sanctifying and purifying his people……..The words of another Old Testament Prophet come to mind….”I will go before you and level the mountains; Bronze doors I will shatter, iron bars I will snap”….God to this very day is purifying his people and his Church - And in time, God’s time not out time - “Never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms”…….How do I know with certainty things will work out favorably?…..Jesus himself gives us the answer….”And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it”……Those who have ears - Let then hear!

“I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows”

Today in the first reading at Mass, the Old Testament Prophet Ezekiel brings up a problem which plagues the Church to this very day - Division!…..Because of human weakness, mankind continues to repeat the same mistakes over and over again….Only God’s grace and an open heart to receive that grace can “fix” what is broken in all of us…..Another prophet wrote about this problem of division within the Church and the need for the people of God to be purified in the 20th century…..This man’s name was Fr Joseph Ratzinger and interestingly enough, this man became Pope Benedict XVI - And this is what he said in 1969 in a radio address……”But when the trial of this sifting is past, a great power will flow from a more spiritualized and simplified Church. Men in a totally planned world will find themselves unspeakably lonely. If they have completely lost sight of God, they will feel the whole horror of their poverty. Then they will discover the little flock of believers as something wholly new. They will discover it as a hope that is meant for them, an answer for which they have always been searching in secret…..Let the “sifting” continue! - God has a plan! - And when “God’s plan” is complete, what will emerge - “A more spiritualized and simplified Church” - Will once again shake the foundations of the world!……..”Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He said in reply, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!”……Listen very carefully - The stones are indeed crying out!……JMJ