"The Temple Filled with the Glory of the Lord" (Ezekiel 43: 1-7ab)

 In today's first reading, Ezekiel 43: 1-7ab, the prophet shares a vision  he has of "the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east."   Every  morning, the sun rises from the east. Is God not hidden in the sun, as He is hidden in the consecrated host, I wonder!  Ezekiel goes on to share more of the vision, saying:   "I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the Lord."  In our baptism, we died and rose with Christ and were transformed into the Temple  of  God.  The Spirit of God dwells within our very beings and, yes,  we are "filled with the glory of the Lord."  Our eyes are veiled so we do not see that glory but it is no less real, as real as the sun shining but not seen because it is hidden by clouds!
In the last lines of today's first reading, Ezekiel hears a voice saying to him:  This "is where my throne shall be, this is where I will set the soles of my feet; here I will dwell among the children of Israel forever." Yes! God dwells here on earth with us forever, as He promises His disciples right before He is ascended into heaven: Behold,  "I am with you always, until the end of the age" (Matthew 28: 20).
Where is God? Right here, standing before you and beside you. Right here, closer to you and me than our breath! Right here, living within your very being! "Where am I when you suffer," God asks? "I am suffering with you! That is where I am! Where am I in this coronavirus pandemic?  I am in it with you, struggling, as you do, to eradicate this plague from the earth! I am suffering, crying, weeping, struggling with you do! We are one!"
Why don't you, God, take it away?  You are God!  "I am not a magic wand that you can wave over the pandemic and it is gone.  No, I am God Incarnate, God-with-you, God-in-you! I am your Strength and your Light, your Wisdom that guides you in how you cope with this plague and what you do to limit its spread!Trust Me! Rely upon Me! Know your dependence, your vulnerability, your need of me and live wisely, humbly and lovingly!" 

A Personal, Caring God

In today's first reading for Ordinary time, Ex 3: 11-20, God  says to Moses: "Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and tell them: ...I am concerned about you and about the way you are being treated in Egypt; so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt."

God is a personal, caring God. He cares for each one of us as individuals. He sees what we are going through  in good times and bad times. God rejoices in our triumphs; weeps in our downfalls or when we are being mistreated and/or abused in any way.  Many times, the abuse or verbal put downs come from ourselves. Many times, we are harsher toward ourselves than anyone else is towards us.  Nothing is good enough. Nothing is perfect enough. "I could have done better, acted smarter, been more prudent, wiser, kinder, and on and on and on.  Many times, we can't say no to anything asked of us.  "I've got to do that; it is my responsibility," we reason to ourselves as we pile on demands as though we are super moms, super women,  superior organizers, a competent this or that or the other thing!   Letting up does not occur to us. When we even think of being good towards ourselves, taking time for ourselves, following a passion that would interrupt our regular routines and expectations of ourselves, we  often choose to remain on the tread mill of super-mom, super-community member, super coordinator. 

"I am concerned about you and about the way you are...[treating yourself] so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of [your "Egypt"]," says the Lord, our God, our Savior. "I have made you for myself, to be all you can be for Me, Your Creator God. I did not create you to be everything for everyone nor did I create you to be the rock that keeps everything else from crumbling." That is my job!