The readings from Ezekiel 1:10-14 and Matthew 9:9-13 on Ember Saturday of September offer us a deep reflection on the nature of God’s call and the transformation of the soul. Ember days, rooted in the ancient Roman practice of fasting and thanksgiving, invite us to a deeper reflection on creation, penance, and prayer, particularly at the time of the autumn harvest. The readings of the day give us much to contemplate on the nature of the divine and the response required of us as followers of Christ.
Ezekiel 1:10-14: The Vision of the Four Living Creatures
Ezekiel’s vision of the four living creatures is one of the most mysterious and awe-inspiring depictions of the heavenly realm in all of Scripture. The prophet describes creatures with four faces—those of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. This imagery, as the Church Fathers often note, is profoundly symbolic.
St. Jerome, in his commentary on Ezekiel, interprets these four creatures as symbols of the four Evangelists, each emphasizing a different aspect of Christ. The human face represents Matthew, who begins his Gospel with Christ’s human genealogy. The lion symbolizes Mark, reflecting the courage and kingship of Christ. The ox is Luke, signifying Christ’s sacrificial nature. The eagle is John, soaring above the earth in his profound and spiritual contemplation of the divine Word.
St. Gregory the Great adds further depth to this interpretation, seeing the faces as representations of the qualities a Christian soul must cultivate. The human face reminds us of Christ’s incarnation and His call to love humanity. The lion signifies the courage we must have in the face of temptation and persecution. The ox points to the endurance and strength needed for sacrifice and service. The eagle calls us to contemplation and prayer, lifting our souls to the heavenly heights.
On Ember Saturday, this passage invites us to reflect on our own spiritual journey, where fasting and prayer are not merely acts of penance but ways to unite ourselves with the vision of heaven. Through fasting, we subdue the flesh (symbolized by the ox), through prayer, we elevate our soul (like the eagle), and through service and love of neighbor, we exercise the virtues of humanity and courage. The swiftness with which the creatures move, as described by Ezekiel, should remind us of the readiness and zeal we must have in responding to God’s will.
Matthew 9:9-13: The Call of St. Matthew
The Gospel reading recounts the calling of St. Matthew, the tax collector, to follow Christ. Matthew, sitting at his post, was considered a sinner by the standards of Jewish society, but Christ’s call transforms him into one of His closest followers.
St. Augustine reflects on this passage by noting how Matthew’s immediate response to Christ’s invitation symbolizes the conversion of the soul. Augustine writes, “He called him with a word, and by that word he created a new person, for the one who called was the Word Himself” (Sermon 102). Matthew’s call to leave behind a life of sin and follow Christ is a reminder of the power of divine grace, which can radically alter the course of a human life.
Ember Saturday emphasizes the importance of conversion in the Christian life. Just as the natural world transitions from one season to the next, so too must our souls undergo continual conversion, leaving behind the old ways of sin and embracing the new life in Christ. The penance and fasting of the Ember days are meant to awaken in us this spirit of transformation, a visible sign of our interior conversion.
Christ’s words to the Pharisees, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,” remind us that our acts of penance and fasting should not be empty rituals. They must be done with a spirit of love and mercy toward others. St. John Chrysostom emphasizes this point in his homilies, explaining that mercy toward our fellow men is more pleasing to God than external sacrifices: “It is not fasting or public acts of penance that purify the soul, but the heart that has learned to show mercy, for in this we imitate Christ” (Homilies on Matthew 30).
The Spirit of Ember Saturday
The liturgical tradition of Ember Saturdays, tied to the sanctification of the seasons, reflects the Church’s desire to unite the natural rhythm of the earth with the supernatural rhythm of grace. The readings remind us that, like the harvest, our souls must also bear fruit in due season, cultivated through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
In Ezekiel’s vision, we see a reflection of our own spiritual potential: to be strong like the lion in defending our faith, patient and enduring like the ox in times of suffering, wise and compassionate like the man, and prayerful like the eagle in ascending to God. Matthew’s response to Christ’s call shows us the necessary response to this vision: to rise, leave behind sin, and follow Christ with our whole hearts.
In this season of transition and harvest, the Church reminds us that we, too, are called to yield a spiritual harvest—one that is marked by conversion, humility, and a readiness to serve God. As St. Gregory the Great beautifully puts it, “Let us follow the footsteps of Christ with the readiness of the creatures in Ezekiel’s vision, swiftly moving wherever the Spirit leads, and like Matthew, let us rise from our places of sin, that we may dine with Christ in the feast of the heavenly kingdom” (Homilies on Ezekiel).
This Ember Saturday, may we respond to the call of grace with zeal and humility, seeking not only to fast and pray, but to practice the works of mercy that make our sacrifices pleasing to God.
References:
• St. Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel
• St. Gregory the Great, Homilies on Ezekiel
• St. Augustine, Sermon 102
• St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on Matthew