5th Week of Lent (B) : Saturday 23rd March 2024

God is never bored down on saving us. Prophet Ezekiel today unpacks the unceasing effort of God to save throughout the Israelites salvation history. God’s promise is spelt out to unite all the Israelite tribes with one Shepherd for them. God will put his stamp to lead them to the land of their own and a Davidic dynasty to reign over them. This saving act is a covenant of peace, because it is the Lord himself fulfilling it. Imprinting upon them that they belong to Him by settling his sanctuary among them. However, God’s sublime way of fulfilling this baffled the Jewish priestly hierarchy and the people as it unfolds in the Gospel.

God’s saving act becomes a twisted drama when the priestly hierarchy, in the saying of Caiaphas, pronounced “one man to die” is enough to prevent their one nation and their Holy place from being ravaged by the imperialist Romans. To save them and their hierarchical status, Jesus is to become that one sacrificial lamb.

It is astounding that Jesus did not retaliate but distanced himself  from such Pharisaical sinister to a secluded place temporarily. Ephraim. Jesus’ stay in Ephraim is to reverberate the echo of Hosea “ How can I give you up, O Ephraim? All my tender compassions are aroused! Because I am God, and not man – the Holy One among you –I will not come in wrath! (Hosea 11:8-9).

Dear Lord, may our Lenten gratitude be truly intense because you never gave up on us.