From the Friars: The Merciful Providence of God
Occasionally I hear complaints about the length of Mass, and not that it is too short. The first reading today tells of an important event in the history of Israel, when Ezra the priest read the Law of Moses to all the people gathered before the Water Gate in Jerusalem. He read for about six hours, with no complaints. The context of this emotional event makes it instructive for ourselves, 2500 or so years later.
The chosen people had been returning from their exile and slavery in Babylon because of their infidelity, God had allowed King Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the temple and take the vast majority of the Jews into captivity. After the fall of Babylon in 539 B.C., the Persians permitted them to return to their homeland and a smaller temple had been rebuilt. But there was discouragement and a lack of zeal for their faith among the people. Ezra and the Governor Nehemiah were holy men of God who sought to renew Israel’s commitment to the Mosaic Covenant and to restore the Jewish nation.
Ezra was on a raised platform above the vast crowd. When he opened the scroll of the Torah everyone stood. The priest blessed God and all lifted up their hands crying out “Amen, Amen!” and they bowed down with their face to the ground. And “all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.” (Neh 8:9) They wept because of the grace of repentance. With God’s help they recognized that the decades of slavery and exile were due to their disobedience to God and the sins of their forefathers.
The Jewish people were humbled by their sufferings. They recognized God’s Providence in history and that He had never abandoned them. He allowed the evil only to bring about a greater good, which was their repentance and conversion. Such it is in our own lives. Our sins lead to spiritual slavery, pain and separation from God. But these very evils can bring us to our knees in humble prayer, and to reconciliation in Confession.
The Jews were sent home to celebrate with the words: “do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (v. 10)
Amen.
–Fr. Peter