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<\/p>\nThe readings this week focus on God’s mercy and exhort us to humility and obedience in following God’s way. There isn’t much technical stuff to deal with in these passages. Instead, these readings are an opportunity for the group to share with one another their struggles in this area and to encourage one another.<\/p>\n
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“There are two ways,\u00a0one of life and one of death;\u00a0but a great difference between the two ways” This section of Ezekiel comes from a longer section entitled “The soul who sins will die”<\/em> where Ezekiel affirms personal responsibility for one’s own soul and\u00a0the Prophet outlines all the things that Israel must not do . This long section concludes with the passage below. God affirms that He is indeed just and that, in sinning, it is Israel<\/em> that is disrupting the right order of things. However, God also affirms that He takes no pleasure in the destruction of sinners. He continually holds out His offer to those who will repent, that he will forgive their sin and spare their life.<\/p>\n Thus says the LORD:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n You say, “The LORD’s way is not fair!”<\/span>\u00a0Hear now, house of Israel:\u00a0<\/span>Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?<\/span>\u00a0When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,\u00a0<\/span>it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die.<\/span>\u00a0But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed,<\/span>\u00a0he does what is right and just,<\/span>\u00a0he shall preserve his life;<\/span>\u00a0since he has turned away from all the sins that he has committed,<\/span>\u00a0he shall surely live, he shall not die.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Possible Questions:<\/p>\n Commentary:<\/p>\n “The LORD’s way is not fair!”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n How childish does that sound? “Not fair!” The lack of fairness concerns the punishment of those who fall from grace and the forgiveness of those who repent of sin.<\/p>\n “house of Israel”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Another term for the Children of Israel.<\/p>\n “Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n It is sin that is the disruption and the distortion.<\/p>\n “When someone virtuous turns away from virtue to commit iniquity, and dies,\u00a0it is because of the iniquity he committed that he must die”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n It is only in God’s mercy that he stays his hand, giving us opportunity to repent and turn back to Him.<\/p>\n Throughout the Old Testament, ever since the Fall, sin is associated with death. The spiritual sense of this passage shows us how sin can strike a mortal blow to a souls.<\/p>\n “But if he turns from the wickedness he has committed,\u00a0he does what is right and just,\u00a0he shall preserve his life;\u00a0since he has turned away from all the sins that he has committed,\u00a0he shall surely live, he shall not die”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n In a passage that can sound rather negative, we must remember this final sentence. It is a promise of mercy to all who repent.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The psalm continues with the themes of this week of God’s mercy and compassion and His desire for us to walk in His way.<\/p>\n R. (6a)\u00a0Remember your mercies, O Lord.<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;<\/span><\/em> Remember that your compassion, O LORD,<\/span><\/em> Good and upright is the LORD;<\/span><\/em> Possible Questions:<\/p>\n Commentary:<\/p>\n “Remember your mercies, O Lord…Remember that your compassion, O LORD,\u00a0<\/em>and your love are from of old.<\/em>“<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n This is a common phrase in the psalms – an appeal to God to recall His loving kindness and take pity on His people.<\/p>\n “Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;<\/em>\u00a0teach me your paths,<\/em>\u00a0guide me in your truth and teach me,<\/em>\u00a0for you are God my savior…”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n This first verse is a request to the Lord to make known His will so that we will know how to follow Him.<\/p>\n “The sins of my youth and my frailties remember not;<\/em>\u00a0in your kindness remember me,<\/em>\u00a0because of your goodness, O LORD”<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n An appeal for forgiveness of past sins.<\/p>\n “Good and upright is the LORD;\u00a0<\/em>thus he shows sinners the way.\u00a0<\/em>He guides the humble to justice, \u00a0<\/em>and teaches the humble his way”<\/em><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n It is because of the Lord’s goodness that He has mercy on sinners who turn to Him. It is only a humble heart that can be taught which is why the sin of pride is so dangerous.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In this section of the letter to the Philippians Paul encourages that church to humility and mutual service. To illustrate this, he uses Christ as his example, quoting the words of an early Christian hymn, describing how Jesus took “the form of a slave” <\/span><\/em>and “humbled himself”<\/span><\/em>.<\/p>\n Brothers and sisters: If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.\u00a0Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness;\u00a0and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.\u00a0Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,\u00a0that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,\u00a0and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n– The Didache, c. 65 AD<\/span><\/em><\/p>\nReading I:\u00a0Ezekiel 18:25-28<\/h3>\n
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14.<\/h3>\n
\nteach me your paths,<\/span><\/em>
\nguide me in your truth and teach me,<\/span><\/em>
\nfor you are God my savior.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
\nand your love are from of old.<\/span><\/em>
\nThe sins of my youth and my frailties remember not;<\/span><\/em>
\nin your kindness remember me,<\/span><\/em>
\nbecause of your goodness, O LORD.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n
\nthus he shows sinners the way.<\/span><\/em>
\nHe guides the humble to justice,\u00a0<\/span><\/em>
\nand teaches the humble his way.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n
Reading II: Philippians 2:1-11<\/h3>\n
\n\nPossible Questions:<\/div>\n\n
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