This is Cardinal Francis George. I invite you to join me for the next few minutes to

reflect with Father Robert Barron on the Word of God, which is the Word on Fire. Word on

Fire Catholic Ministries is a non-profit ministry at the forefront of Catholic evangelization

using new media to spread the faith and every continent. Father Barron challenges us to

open our hearts to the Word on Fire, which is God's Word of Love for each of us. If our

hearts are open, the Lord can change and transform us so that we might speak with love about

the one who is love. The global benefactors of Word on Fire with the support of the Archdiocese

of Chicago now present Word on Fire.

Peace be with you. Friends, our first reading for this weekend is from the book of the Prophet

Ezekiel and our Gospel is from the 21st chapter of Matthew. And they're both about taking

spiritual responsibility. Now, as many commentators have pointed out over the centuries, the

18th chapter of Ezekiel, and I recommend you read it. Here a chance to say, take out your

Bible and read chapter 18 of Ezekiel. It represents a major breakthrough in consciousness.

Or insist upon the personal responsibility of the individual moral agent. Now, let me talk

about it. Well, in most ancient cultures, including ancient Israel, the community had primacy

over the individual. And therefore, they could say, the famous proverb at the beginning

of Ezekiel 18, fathers have eaten green grapes, sour grapes, and their children's teeth

are set on edge. There is the proverb. So the fathers have done something wrong or unfortunate

and the children suffer for it. Children suffer because of the sins of their fathers.

That's what the proverb means. The entire people is liable for punishment because of the

misdeeds of some individuals among the people. Or turn the idea around, one could benefit

from the good deeds of an ancestor or a friend in the tribe. So that's the more classical,

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