Today’s first reading is the prophet Ezekiel’s great vision of dry bones. As we hear at the beginning of today’s reading “and of the LORD came upon me and led me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the center of the plain, which was now filled with bones.” These bones are dry and lifeless until God sends his Spirit upon these dry bones to revivify them.
Ezekiel’s vision has a twofold interpretation: 1) the return of the Israelites from captivity and exile in Babylon, and 2) Jesus’ death and resurrection.
“O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live, and I will settle you upon your land; thus you shall know that I am the LORD. I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.”
The Israelites experience a “resurrection” or rebirth in the return from Exile. As Matthew describes the death of Jesus, he uses some of the words and images of Ezekiel’s Dry Bones passage:
“But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.” (Matthew 27:50-53).
Matthew uses this passage from Ezekiel to help us to understand the meaning of the death and resurrection of Jesus. St. Paul describes Jesus’ death and resurrection as the first in a series or as the “firstfruits”
“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead came also through a human being. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ…” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).
Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones is a vision and a promise for all of us, the promise of eternal life. The Spirit of God vivifies and renews us in our daily life and will raise us up to a new and eternal life when we die.
Image: “Skull and Bones in a Dry Creek Bed” by Rich Anderson is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.