Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

 Year A

Ezekiel 9: 1-7; 10:18-22

Psalm 113:1b-2.3-4.5-6 (R. 4b) 

Matthew 18: 15- 20

Gathered in Jesus Christ's Name 

The NJB version of today first Reading verse 4 talks of marking a Cross 𑁕 on the foreheads of all who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in Jerusalem, while other versions talk of marking X on their foreheads. According to ancient script the Hebrew letter tau which was marked on those who were not guilty of idolatry was cruciform; that is, it was in the form of the Cross.

It is referred to as the covenant mark or sign, as can be seen in the picture below. 

It is the last Alphabet with the number 400. Interestingly, as the last of the alephbet and the covenant mark, it has a link with the mark of the blood of the Lamb that was used on the day of Passover to mark the doors of the Israelites. 

So today's first reading have a link with or pictures the Passover event. The glory of God have left the sanctuary, and the righteous are been marked with the Cross. Thus, looking at the Passover event where God protected the Israelites who marked their doors with the blood of the Lamb, while those who didn't perished, we see that those whom the Man in the High Priest vestment marked with the Cross were saved while those who were not marked perished. 

The Passover event have so many link with Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, but I will allude to only one for today's reflection. This is the hyssop brunch that was dip in the blood of the Lamb in the basin to mark the doors (Exodus 12:22). On the Cross, when Jesus said "I am thirsty" (John 19:28ff), the stick on which a sponge soaked in the sour wine was put on was hyssop stick. The hyssop is use for purification. 

Psalm 51:7

Purify me with hyssop till I am clean, ...

But there is more to it, the Letter to the Hebrews explaining that Jesus Christ seals the new covenant with his blood alluded to the covenant between God and Israelites in Exodus 24:6 -8. 

Hebrews 9:19

... he sprinkled the book itself and all the people, using scarlet wool and hyssop; saying as he did so:This is the blood of the covenant that God has made with you.

So it is clear that purification is a vital explanation of the Cross.  Through the Cross we are cleansed from our sins. So the faithful who were marked with the Cross were made pure.  But it is God who can make us pure, so as the last responsorial Psalm attests, 

"Who is like the Lord, our God, who dwells on high,who lowers himself to look down upon heaven and earth. "

God through Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the Cross has reconciled the world to himself and this same reconciling message he has entrusted to us (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:19ff). So in today's gospel we are reminded to rebuke others with love. If we do it in private and it doesn't work, we involve authorities so that our brethren will not lost. So as we have been saved through the Cross of Jesus Christ, we are one in him. Thus He is our protection and defender.  

When he said "For were two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them", we see that through Jesus Christ's  sacrifice he made once and for all on the Cross, the sacrifice on God Friday that has it explanation in the upper room on Holy Thursday, we are to always gather as an assembly or Church to remember him. In fact in the upper room were he said "do this in remembrance  of me" (Luke 22:19ff), it was an invitation for the Apostles and the early  Church to always have an assembly in his name. So the early Church remained faithful to the Apostles teachings, fellowship, breaking of bread and prayers (Acts 2:42).

As we are now given the opportunity to congregate again, let's us not lose this opportunity to gather together in his name, Communion. 

St. John Chrysostom

"You cannot pray at home as at church, where there is a great multitude, where exclamations are cried out to God as from one great heart, and where there is something more: the union of minds, the accord of souls, the bond of Charity, the prayers of priests. "

The only time our Lord showed us what to do when we congregate is the Eucharistic celebration; a prayer of Thanksgiving to God. Don't miss the opportunity to go for Mass.

By Sylvester Amakye-Quayson