Come Holy Spirit: Ezekiel

Ezekiel, Michaelangelo, Sistine Chapel

Then he said to me, Son of man, take into your heart all my words that I speak to you; hear them well. Now go to the exiles, to your own people, and speak to them. Say to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear: Thus says the LORD God! Then the spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a loud rumbling noise as the glory of the LORD rose from its place: the noise of the wings of the living creatures beating against one another, and the noise of the wheels alongside them, a loud rumbling. And the spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went off, my spirit angry and bitter, for the hand of the LORD pressed hard on me. Ezekiel 3:10-14

I searched high and low for a picture of the spirit lifting Ezekiel, but only found pictures of his vision. This is what was making all the noise that Ezekiel describes.

Ezekiel's Vision, Raphael

I love Ezekiel's face in the fresco by Michaelango. You can see the anger and bitterness he felt from the Lord's hand pressing hard on him. Look at the set of his mouth, and the posture of his body, and that hand.

I really like this scripture because it emphasizes how God's Word, when it comes to us, doesn't always seem to be a blessing. I think of Jeremiah saying, "You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped.you were too strong for me, and you triumphed. All the day I am an object of laughter; everyone mocks me." I can remember hearing that scripture from Jeremiah 20 at Mass one Sunday, and thinking, "Amen to that." Thing is, I don't remember how he duped me now, or anything about the situation.

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from Thee, my God and greatest Good. Amen. Prayer from Day 4 of Novena to the Holy Spirit.

AMDG