Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin
Desperate times call for desperate measures!
When I was sixteen, my parents were worried that I was not observant about my surroundings (and in retrospect, yes, they were correct!). Concerned for my safety, they had spoken to me several times about “keeping my head on a swivel,” especially after dark. Despite their efforts, I remained oblivious.
So, early on April Fool’s Day, my parents drove my car around the block and parked it out of view from our front door. They wanted to see how long it took before I realized that my car was gone.
They waited. And…they waited. After lunch, they asked me to check the mail. I strolled to the curb, opened the mailbox, grabbed some letters and flyers, and returned. They were waiting for me just inside the front door, grinning, hoping to see a panicked look on my face. Yet, all I said was, “Here’s your mail,” and proceeded to walk upstairs.
I shattered my parents’ April Fools dreams. I had walked along the front curb of our house without noticing that my car was missing! In their wisdom, they applied this practical joke to drive their point home (no pun intended): I had eyes but could not see.
Like my parents, God uses different methods to make a point, especially if his audience does not heed the message. In Ezekiel 12:1-12, God instructs the prophet to act out an oracle. Apparently, words were insufficient. The house of Judah was stubborn and rebellious, and had been for many generations; the people had eyes but could not see, and ears but could not hear (v. 2; see also Jer 5:21; Mk 8:18).
In the brightness of day, the LORD wanted the people of Judah to witness Ezekiel carry his portable belongings from point A to point B as an exiled man. He also desired that they observe the prophet dig a hole through a defensive wall with his bare hands and to slip through to the other side. In doing so, Ezekiel becomes a living symbol. His actions animate the message of God’s looming judgment upon Judah, of the nation’s exile to Babylon, and more specifically, the capture and blinding of King Zedekiah, the “prince” of Jerusalem (see Jer 39:1-7).
Instead of using words to warn Judah, Ezekiel dutifully follows the LORD’s instructions and acts out the prophecy as if he were on stage. This passage prompts questions for reflection regarding our spiritual lives: Do I see what God is doing? Do I hear what God is speaking? Do I take time to listen? Do I look for and perceive God’s presence and action in the world around me? Lastly, In what ways can I act out or portray God’s message of mercy and justice to those in my circle?
-Rachael Griggs