Nuclear holocaust might be a modern equivalent to the vision of Ezekiel of the dead bones; death and destruction everywhere. In the face of this hopelessness the prophet is commanded to utter words of hope and life. His work is to summon the lifegiving wind of the Spirit and bring a transformed existence to the chalky bones. The Israelites, despondent in their exile continue complaining that they have no hope. Yahweh summons them to look to himself rather than to their own pathetic state and to trust in Him.

Similarly, in the Gospel we are invited to love the Lord with our whole heart and our neighbour as ourselves. To love ourselves can be difficult, but without that love we cannot love our neighbours freely nor God fully. To live in love we await the breath of the Spirit who fulfils all the Law and the Prophets.