In the eighth chapter of the First Book of Kings we read of the solemn dedication of the Temple of Solomon. After the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the Holy of Holies, the priests left that sacred chamber. “When the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the Lord’s temple, and because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple.”
Today’s reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of the day when the glory of the Lord left the Temple. Resting upon the wings of the cherubim, the cloud was lifted up and departed from the Temple. Because Israel had broken the first and most important commandment and had begun to worship other gods, God sends his avenging angels to kill the idolaters. Those who were true to the God of Israel bore a sign, the Hebrew letter Tau, on their foreheads and were spared the sword of the avenging angel. In this account Ezekiel stresses individual accountability. The innocent inhabitants of Jerusalem are spared while the idolatrous are punished.
Individual accountability is also emphasized in the Gospel for today. Matthew outlines how the community is to deal with the sinner in their midst. The most important part of his process is found in the last line where Matthew tells the community to deal with the sinner as they would deal with a tax collector. Of course, as this process is read out in the community, those who are listening could not help but remember that Matthew himself was a tax collector. Jesus had dealt with him with mercy and compassion, inviting him to follow rather than scolding him or shunning him.
The Hebrew Scriptures have a decidedly different image of God than Jesus presents in the Gospels. At the same time, it is important that we remember that each of us will have to be individually accountable for our lives when we finally come to meet the Lord face to face.
Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator