Sunday, September 28, 2014: Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32; Matthew 21:23-32

Ezekiel steps right into the middle of a group of people busy at that most ancient of activities, going all the way back to Eden: the blame game.

Ezekiel voices God’s critical word. “It’s not our fault,” the people respond. “The problems we face are because of our parents’ misdeeds.” They quote a proverb to Ezekiel: “The parents eat sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge.”

Jesus too has constant run-ins with those who would be blameless. In this week’s Gospel reading, his run-in is with the chief priests and elders. They say to him, “By what authority have you ridden into Jerusalem as some kind of Messiah, charged into the temple, and chased out the merchants selling animals for the sacrifices? By what authority do you teach the people, and who gave you that authority?”