04 August 2010

04 Aug 2010, Memorial of Saint John Vianney, priest

Reading 1
Jer 31:1-7


At that time, says the LORD,
I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel,
and they shall be my people.
Thus says the LORD:
The people that escaped the sword
have found favor in the desert.
As Israel comes forward to be given his rest,
the LORD appears to him from afar:
With age-old love I have loved you;
so I have kept my mercy toward you.
Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt,
O virgin Israel;
Carrying your festive tambourines,
you shall go forth dancing with the merrymakers.
Again you shall plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria;
those who plant them shall enjoy the fruits.
Yes, a day will come when the watchmen
will call out on Mount Ephraim:
“Rise up, let us go to Zion,
to the LORD, our God.”

For thus says the LORD:
Shout with joy for Jacob,
exult at the head of the nations;
proclaim your praise and say:
The LORD has delivered his people,
the remnant of Israel.

Gospel
Mt 15: 21-28


At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But he did not say a word in answer to her.
His disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
He said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.”
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Meditation: Jeremiah 31:1-7

“With age-old love, I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you.” (Jeremiah 31:3)


Jeremiah lived through tumultuous times. He saw empires rise and fall. He saw good and bad kings reign. He saw times when he was deeply revered and times when he was hated and scorned. And through all of it, he labored to bring God’s word to the people. Sadly, very few listened to him.

Imagine how devastating it must have been for Jeremiah to see his beloved Jerusalem overrun by the Babylonian army, the Temple desecrated and burnt to the ground, and so many of his countrymen—friends and enemies alike—taken into exile as captives.

But curiously enough, Jeremiah did not respond with words of despair. He didn’t even affirm God’s judgment on Jerusalem’s sin. Instead, Jeremiah began delivering prophecies of hope and consolation, messages filled with God’s love and compassion for his people’s sufferings. Just at their lowest point, when the people thought God had abandoned them, God proved that his mercy and love are stronger than any darkness—even the darkness of the human heart.

This is the wonder of our God. He never abandons us. His mercy is everlasting, and his compassion is deeper than the ocean. Even when we have brought something upon ourselves through selfishness or irresponsibility, our Father stands by us, offering us not only his wise correction but his healing, his love, and his affirmation. Unfortunately, sometimes we lose sight of this truth and let our sins and failings convince us not to try to turn to God for his help and guidance.

Don’t let that happen! Today’s first reading offers us an excellent opportunity to reach out to the Lord and get a taste of his mercy. So take the time today to immerse yourself in these words of compassion. Let the Lord use them to speak to you right here and right now. Even if you are not facing anything particularly challenging, know that he is with you, ready to fill you with all the love and grace you need for the day ahead.


“Father, your love and mercy reach back into my past and extend forward into my future. Help me to cling to you at all times.”

No comments:

Post a Comment