Unripe Green Grapes

Our first reading from Ezekiel (18:1-10, 13b, 30-32) begins: “The word of the LORD came to me: ‘Son of man, what is the meaning of this proverb that you recite in the land of Israel: Fathers have eaten green grapes, thus their children’s teeth are on edge’?...” What’s the prophet’s meaning that’s relevant for all of us today?

First, some background. The unfermented juice of green, unripe grapes is called verjus, according to the magazine Modern Farmer. It can add acidity to savory and sweet dishes. At the height of the Roman Empire around 71 AD, the juice was called acresta. Its use peaked again in medieval France cuisine sometimes in the form of crabapple. Traditional Dijon mustard still gets is slight acidic bite from verjus, and European chefs continue its use. So, Ezekiel is referring to unripe grapes, but more than that, as his proverb suggests.

During Ezekiel’s day the people believed they were punished for the sins of their ancestors rather than their own.  Little bit like Adam and Eve’s “crime” of eating the fruit in the Garden.  Ezekiel made it clear that everyone is responsible for their own sins. Yes, we often suffer from the sins of those who came before us, such as the ravages of war.

But ultimately, the ball is in our court. We die by our own hands, so to speak. No one should believe that their fate is sealed by the misdeeds of ancestors. We set our own course for good or the bad.  It's about our making good choices helped by the Holy Spirit.

We’re responsible for our own actions. Our sins are our own. We reap what we sow ourselves. The sins of our fathers (and mothers) don't set our teeth on edge, unless we let them.

Deacon David Pierce