Am I likely to take pleasure in the death of a wicked man?

Reflection on the Readings of Friday: 1st Week of Lent.
(Ezk.18:21-28 / Ps. 129 (130) / Matthew 5:20-26)

I remember when I was a small boy and whenever I was naughty, I was always told that I’ll be punished and God will punish me too. I am not sure whether God will punish me but I know my Mum will. Later I begin to understand why I was told that. As you can see now, I became a good boy hehehehe.

The reading today, especially the gospel shows us a God of justice; “I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.” Mt.5:26. In the gospel too, we are told that we are responsible of our own actions; “…will answer for it…” Mt. 5:21-22 (in this 2 verses we find this phrase 4x). I used to wonder why people come and ask for funeral masses for their family members who died and while living they didn’t come to church or live a holy life. At the funeral mass, they are asking God to be just!!!

But thanks through a maturation in faith, experience in life and especially through seminary education, I see a whole new side of God. Yes, God punishes when I am stubborn and don’t want to change. This punishment is an opportunity for me to learn (lesson), repent and change. God always allows us to make our own decisions, and we have to face the consequences for the decisions made. At times the consequences can be seen as a punishment. But the new side of God I see is that he is a God of love, mercy and compassion. Now I see that in funeral masses we ask the God of justice to look on mercy and compassion on the dead too. “If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, Lord who would survive? But with you is found forgiveness, for this we revere you” Ps.129 (130) - today’s psalm.

What strike me today in the readings is from the 1^st reading, where God says; “Am I likely to take pleasure in the death of a wicked man and prefer to see him renounce his wickedness and live?” Ezk.18:23. Wah… God gives not only second chance but many chances for us to repent (‘Metanoia’ – a radical change).

Here I am reminded to be like God. As I reflect, I see that I myself have not given people another chance to change. I have been judgmental on them. I might have stop in a second chance and not given them further chances. If GOD could be forgiving and gives chances, who am I who am just a MAN!!!

I hope you will read the full text of today’s reading. My reflection and the 1^st reading itself do not teach us to take God’s mercy, compassion and love for granted. As I said earlier, we are responsible of our own actions and we have to bear consequences for the actions taken. For God says; “Listen, you House of Israel: is what I do unjust? Is not what you do that is unjust? When the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies because of this, he dies because of the evil that he himself has committed…” Ezk.18:25-26

Very often we say that everything must come to an end, so before our life comes to an end, let us make good use of the many opportunities given to Metanoia and be reminded that we make choose our own life and bear the consequences. Don’t delay like the foolish bridesmaids (Mt. 25:1-13).

Let the conclusion of the text of the 1^st reading which is not in today’s reading speak to us “So in future, House of Israel, I shall judge each of you by what the person does-declares the Lord Yahweh. Repent, renounce all your crimes, avoid all occasions for guilt. Shake off all the crimes you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why die, House of Israel? I take no pleasure in the death of anyone- declares the Lord Yahweh- so repent and live.” (Ezk.18:30-32).

Don’t tell God didn’t warn and give chances!!!!