Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

I am the good shepherd,
my sheep listen to my voice,
and they become
one flock and one fold.
.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Ezekiel 12,1-12

The word of Yahweh was addressed to me as follows, 'Son of man, you are living among a tribe of rebels who have eyes and never see, they have ears and never hear, because they are a tribe of rebels. So, son of man, pack an exile's bundle and set off for exile by daylight while they watch. You will leave your home and go somewhere else while they watch. Then perhaps they will see that they are a tribe of rebels. You will pack your baggage like an exile's bundle, by daylight, while they watch, and leave like an exile in the evening, while they watch. While they watch, make a hole in the wall, and go out through it. While they watch, you will shoulder your pack and go out into the dark; you will cover your face so that you cannot see the ground, since I have made you an omen for the House of Israel.' I did as I had been told. I packed my baggage like an exile's bundle, by daylight; and in the evening I made a hole through the wall with my hands; then I went out into the dark and shouldered my pack while they watched. Next morning the word of Yahweh was addressed to me as follows, 'Son of man, did not the House of Israel, did not that tribe of rebels, ask you, "What are you doing?" Say, "The Lord Yahweh says this: This prophecy concerns Jerusalem and the whole House of Israel who live there." Say, "I am an omen for you; as I have done, so will be done to them; they will be deported into exile. Their prince will shoulder his pack in the dark and go out through the wall; a hole will be made to let him out; he will cover his face, so that he cannot see the country.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

I give you a new commandment,
that you love one another.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The Lord orders the prophet to show - through a very eloquent scene - the consequences brought about by the people's hardness of heart. They in fact no longer listen to the Word of God and their hearts are hardened so that they do not understand God's love for them anymore. So, through a symbolic gesture, Ezekiel prophesies the impending fall of Jerusalem and the deportation of the king Zedekiah and the people to Babylon. The pages of the Bible often emphasize the fact that the Lord's people have eyes and ears but do not see the works of the Lord or listen to his Word. However, the Lord, who is mercy, continues to be concerned for his children and never stops sending them his messengers: "Perhaps they will understand," the Lord says. Therefore the Lord asks Ezekiel - seven times, that Is never tiring - to gather his things together quickly and to leave them in front of his house as if he were getting ready to depart, and to dig a hole in the brick wall to come out of his house. It is the image of the migrant that still today questions our communities. Their presence speaks to us of a common destiny that we cannot ignore and that asks everyone to have eyes to see and ears to hear.