The Power of Symbolic Actions: Then and Now
August 19, 2024 - Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 24:15-23
In today's passage from Ezekiel, a phrase is repeated twice: "the delight of your eyes" (Ezekiel 24:16, 21). The first instance refers to Ezekiel's wife, indicating how much the prophet loved her. The second instance refers to Jerusalem, with "your" in the plural form. God was going to take away the delights of the people's eyes—the city and its temple, which they loved so much.
Prophets were experts in symbolic actions. Hosea's marriage to Gomer symbolized God's relationship with His people, marked by God's faithfulness and their unfaithfulness. Isaiah walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign against Egypt and Cush, indicating that the Assyrians would lead the captives of Egypt and Cush away naked and barefoot (see Isaiah 20:2-4). Jeremiah buried a linen belt by the Euphrates River, which became ruined, and wore a yoke around his neck (see Jeremiah 13:1-11, 27-28). Both actions signified the destruction of Jerusalem and the impending enslavement by the Babylonian masters. In the Gospel, Jesus also performed symbolic actions, the most controversial being the cursing of the fig tree, which, like Jeremiah's action, signified the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple (see Mark 11:12-25).
Ezekiel is instructed not to mourn publicly the death of his wife. In this way, he would be an example to the Israelites in Babylon who were about to receive the news of Jerusalem's destruction. They could mourn privately the loss of the delight of their eyes but not in public. Moreover, the Lord instructs them to cry over their sins that contributed to that tragedy (see Ezekiel 24:21-23).
"So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning, I did as I was commanded" (Ezekiel 24:18). We can admire Ezekiel's deep faith expressed in his obedience, but most of us would be devastated after such a loss. I presume that Ezekiel was devastated as well. The same goes for the Israelites. Jerusalem and the temple gave them a sense of security and joy. It should never have been destroyed in the first place, and when it happened—whether in 586 BC or 70 AD—it was a devastating blow to all of them. After 70 AD, Judaism would never be the same.
Symbolic actions remain a powerful tool to communicate a message. In 1966, Poland celebrated the Millennium of its Baptism. To prevent this celebration, the government arrested a copy of the venerated icon of the Black Madonna that was pilgrimaging throughout the country. In response to that action, the bishops prepared empty frames decorated with flowers, a burning candle, and the Book of the Gospel. Those empty frames replacing the arrested icon symbolized the painting's further journey around Poland.
A more recent symbolic action has been Greta Thunberg's decision to skip school on Fridays to protest outside the Swedish Parliament, demanding action on climate change. Her action led to the "Fridays for Future" movement, which has inspired millions of students worldwide to join her in calling for urgent environmental reforms.
Symbolic actions aim to capture public attention, provoke thought, and inspire action. They are often the best way to communicate a message that otherwise would be ignored. We should be attentive to them and try to recognize their significance for our lives.