25TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

He has given us new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins.

Ezra and the exiles had finally returned home to Jerusalem. But their city lay in ruins, and the Temple had been ransacked. Nehemiah had begun to rebuild the walls of the city, but Ezra could see that more than the walls needed reconstruction. God’s people had crumbled; they needed to return to the Lord by renewing their covenant with him. Many had married foreigners, embraced the customs of the surrounding nations, and fallen away from their faith. So what should have been a joyful reunion felt more like a rescue mission to orphans living amid the rubble.

Grief-stricken, Ezra tore his clothes and knelt in repentance on behalf of his people. But even in his sorrow over their sins, he held fast to the faithfulness of the Lord, who had “brightened our eyes and given us relief” (Ezra 9:8). Ezra knew that by giving the people a chance to restore the Temple, God had given them a new beginning, not only in Jerusalem, but in their hearts as well.

We all go through times when we drift away from the Lord or falter in living out his call for us. The “temple” of our own hearts can be broken down, cluttered by sin and in need of renovation. Like Ezra, we might feel overwhelmed by the consequences of our sins. But just as he did for Ezra and the people of Judah, God wants to “brighten our eyes.” He wants to give us the grace and strength we need to return and rebuild.

When we turn back to the Lord in repentance, he fills us with hope and the energy of the Spirit to take the steps to build up our temple. Our building materials aren’t bricks and mortar; they might be the decision to return to daily prayer or Confession or to seek the encouragement of a brother or sister in the Lord. In all these ways, God reminds us that he is with us and will give us the tools and divine grace for the task before us.

“Thank you, Lord, for brightening my eyes and giving me the chance to begin again.”

(Psalm) Tobit 13:2-4, 7-8
Luke 9:1-6
Ezra 9:5-9

WORD AMONG US