WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE GREAT IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD? (HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE 19TH WEEK IN THE ORDINARY TIME
What does it mean to be great in the kingdom of God? Prophetic Commisioning Ezekiel 2:8-10; 3:1-4; Matthew 18:1-5,10,12-14 The first reading of today speaks of the prophetic commissioning of Ezekiel. This prophetic commission entails obedience and assimilation of the word of God. In the first Phase, the Lord commanded Ezekiel: “But you mortal, hear what I say to you, do not be rebellious like that rebellious house” (Ezekiel 2:8). This is a demand of obedience and submission. A prophet is not a person of his own. A prophet is a messenger of God. He does not have his messages but the messages of God and thus must be subordinate to the injunctions of God. He is not to be in argument or remonstration with the commands of God but to do just what God desires of him. Friends in Christ, the first mark of a prophet is Obedience. Today many claims to be prophets, they disobey constituted authorities and are rebellious. They are false prophets In the second phase, God said to him, 'ope...