Readings for the Day:
Reflection:
There are a few things I want to note about the reading from Ezekiel this morning because in this reading we get the core of the Gospel.
First of all, in the eyes of God, sin is sin. We like to say certain sins are worse than others. But sin, that which separates us from God, is sin. There are no levels.
And even though we are told that sin leads to death, God still offers us a way out, if we will but repent and turn back from our sinful ways. We see this forgiveness finalized in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. It is in Him that we are transformed and receive “a new heart and a new spirit”, as we hear in Ezekiel.
God wants us live, not to die. So He gives us the opportunity to turn back to Him.
This is because God, when he says “iniquity will be your ruin”, doesn’t mean that He Himself will come down and strike us for our sin. Sin itself leads us to ruin. And God knows that and doesn’t want that to happen to us.
We are called to turn back from our sin and accept the gift of Grace and Forgiveness given to us through Jesus Christ. And we are called to be like God and hold life sacred. We are called not to let our fellow human beings fall into ruin under sin, but turn back to life through the gift of resurrected life we are given through Christ Jesus.