Reading 1
Jer 26:1-9
In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim,
son of Josiah, king of Judah,
this message came from the LORD:
Thus says the LORD:
Stand in the court of the house of the LORD
and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah
who come to worship in the house of the LORD;
whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing.
Perhaps they will listen and turn back,
each from his evil way,
so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them
for their evil deeds.
Say to them: Thus says the LORD:
If you disobey me,
not living according to the law I placed before you
and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets,
whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them,
I will treat this house like Shiloh,
and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth
shall refer when cursing another.
Now the priests, the prophets, and all the people
heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD.
When Jeremiah finished speaking
all that the LORD bade him speak to all the people,
the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying,
"You must be put to death!
Why do you prophesy in the name of the LORD:
'This house shall be like Shiloh,' and
'This city shall be desolate and deserted'?"
And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
Gospel
Mt 13:54-58
Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
"Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter's son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?"
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
"A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house."
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.
Meditation: Matthew 13:54-58
“Where did this man get all this?” (Matthew 13:56)
How could Jesus’ townsfolk not see who he really was? He had already performed so many miracles and spoken so insightfully about the Law of Moses. But to them he was still the carpenter’s son from down the street. So because they came to him with such low expectations, they had a hard time experiencing the healings, deliverances, and other works of wonder that so many others received. Because of their lack of faith, they placed limits on what they would allow God to do for them.
Do you limit Jesus? Has he become your Savior only on Sundays or in times of crisis and difficulty? Of course he wants to touch you during Mass. And yes, he loves to be with you in the hard times. But he wants to be so much more as well. He wants to talk with us and walk with us as he did with Adam and Eve in the garden. He wants to give us counsel in our decisions, cheer us on in our successes, and teach us from our mistakes. He wants to give us good gifts and teach us how to serve our loved ones more humbly. Jesus wants to be our constant companion!
It can be hard to believe, but God really does delight in revealing himself to us in the everyday events of our lives. What’s more, he actually enjoys being with us, even when we’re sitting through a meeting at work, watching television at home, or doing the laundry. And the more we learn how to sense his presence, the more we will receive his blessings, his revelations, and his love.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus is completely committed to you! Even when your mind is taken up with the demands of the day, he is still close to you. You may not be able to feel his presence all the time, but he is there, speaking words of love, shielding you from the devil, and forming you in hidden, unseen ways. In the face of such love, how can we do anything but place our faith and trust in him?
“Jesus, in so many ways you remain a mystery to me. I don’t always feel you but I know you are with me. Thank you, Lord, for your unending love!”
29 July 2010
29 July 2010, Memorial of Saint Martha
Reading 1
Jer 18:1-6
This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Rise up, be off to the potter's house;
there I will give you my message.
I went down to the potter's house and there he was,
working at the wheel.
Whenever the object of clay which he was making
turned out badly in his hand,
he tried again,
making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
Can I not do to you, house of Israel,
as this potter has done? says the LORD.
Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter,
so are you in my hand, house of Israel.
Gospel
Jn 11:19-27
Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
"Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you."
Jesus said to her,
"Your brother will rise."
Martha said to him,
"I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day."
Jesus told her,
"I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?"
She said to him, "Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world."
Meditation: John 11:19-27
St. Martha
I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God. (John 11:27)
Wait a minute! Is this the same Martha who complained to Jesus that her sister Mary had left her to do all the hard work? How could Martha now make such a bold proclamation of faith in Jesus? We can only conclude that she took Jesus’ words seriously—both his words about Mary having chosen the better part and his words just now about his being the resurrection and the life. Instead of spending all her time being worried and upset about “many things,” she began to learn how to sit at Jesus’ feet and let his words sink into her heart.
Undoubtedly, Martha was growing in her faith. Taking more time to listen to Jesus, Martha must have been moved by his parables and his explanations of who he was and what he had come to do. How else could she have known that God would do whatever Jesus asked of him? How else could she have made such a statement of faith in the midst of her grief over Lazarus’ death?
We all have a bit of Martha in us. We can get worried and anxious about many things. But if Martha can change, so can we! All it takes is the decision to set aside time for Jesus every day. He’ll take care of the rest. Over time he will convince us of his love. He will begin to change our attitudes. He’ll even give us a deeper sense of mission and purpose for our lives!
It’s quite amazing when you think about it. Martha went from being anxious and agitated at a simple dinner party to being able to handle something as upsetting as a death in the family—even to the point of letting this event stretch her faith in Jesus. This is the kind of change that God wants to do in all of us. It can happen to you! Today in prayer, recall one or two recent situations in which you felt the Lord inviting you to a deeper trust in him. Then join Martha in her proclamation of faith. Celebrate the Messiah, who has come to raise all of us from death to life!
“Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the resurrection and the life. Thank you for coming into the world to give us your peace!”
Jer 18:1-6
This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Rise up, be off to the potter's house;
there I will give you my message.
I went down to the potter's house and there he was,
working at the wheel.
Whenever the object of clay which he was making
turned out badly in his hand,
he tried again,
making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
Can I not do to you, house of Israel,
as this potter has done? says the LORD.
Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter,
so are you in my hand, house of Israel.
Gospel
Jn 11:19-27
Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary
to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,
she went to meet him;
but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus,
"Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you."
Jesus said to her,
"Your brother will rise."
Martha said to him,
"I know he will rise,
in the resurrection on the last day."
Jesus told her,
"I am the resurrection and the life;
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,
and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?"
She said to him, "Yes, Lord.
I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,
the one who is coming into the world."
Meditation: John 11:19-27
St. Martha
I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God. (John 11:27)
Wait a minute! Is this the same Martha who complained to Jesus that her sister Mary had left her to do all the hard work? How could Martha now make such a bold proclamation of faith in Jesus? We can only conclude that she took Jesus’ words seriously—both his words about Mary having chosen the better part and his words just now about his being the resurrection and the life. Instead of spending all her time being worried and upset about “many things,” she began to learn how to sit at Jesus’ feet and let his words sink into her heart.
Undoubtedly, Martha was growing in her faith. Taking more time to listen to Jesus, Martha must have been moved by his parables and his explanations of who he was and what he had come to do. How else could she have known that God would do whatever Jesus asked of him? How else could she have made such a statement of faith in the midst of her grief over Lazarus’ death?
We all have a bit of Martha in us. We can get worried and anxious about many things. But if Martha can change, so can we! All it takes is the decision to set aside time for Jesus every day. He’ll take care of the rest. Over time he will convince us of his love. He will begin to change our attitudes. He’ll even give us a deeper sense of mission and purpose for our lives!
It’s quite amazing when you think about it. Martha went from being anxious and agitated at a simple dinner party to being able to handle something as upsetting as a death in the family—even to the point of letting this event stretch her faith in Jesus. This is the kind of change that God wants to do in all of us. It can happen to you! Today in prayer, recall one or two recent situations in which you felt the Lord inviting you to a deeper trust in him. Then join Martha in her proclamation of faith. Celebrate the Messiah, who has come to raise all of us from death to life!
“Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the resurrection and the life. Thank you for coming into the world to give us your peace!”
28 July 2010
28 July 2010, Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Jer 15:10, 16-21
Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth!
a man of strife and contention to all the land!
I neither borrow nor lend,
yet all curse me.
When I found your words, I devoured them;
they became my joy and the happiness of my heart,
Because I bore your name,
O LORD, God of hosts.
I did not sit celebrating
in the circle of merrymakers;
Under the weight of your hand I sat alone
because you filled me with indignation.
Why is my pain continuous,
my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook,
whose waters do not abide!
Thus the LORD answered me:
If you repent, so that I restore you,
in my presence you shall stand;
If you bring forth the precious without the vile,
you shall be my mouthpiece.
Then it shall be they who turn to you,
and you shall not turn to them;
And I will make you toward this people
a solid wall of brass.
Though they fight against you,
they shall not prevail,
For I am with you,
to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD.
I will free you from the hand of the wicked,
and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.
Gospel
Mt 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."
Meditation: Jeremiah 15:10,16-21
“I am with you.” (Jeremiah 15:20)
Surely each of us has had tough days. Maybe even tough weeks or months. One problem after another seems to pile up—sometimes relatively inconsequential things: We oversleep and are late for work or school, we misplace something valuable, or someone else gets the attention we want. We may face much more serious setbacks: We lose our job, our health fails, or we feel alone or isolated. We may even suffer when we see those we love undergoing hardships. Our faith can be shaken to the point where we begin to question whether God really is with us.
Jeremiah has important words for us at times like these: God has not abandoned us! As a prophet of the Lord, he went through difficulty himself. Just think of how it felt when he was arrested and almost killed for speaking the word of the Lord. Or imagine what it cost him to experience in his own heart the pain that God feels when his people turn from him. In the midst of these hardships, Jeremiah cried out to God, and God comforted him. Did Jeremiah have to face his own failings and repent? Yes. Did he have to continue on despite the difficulty? Yes. But God affirmed that he would always be with Jeremiah and would deliver and rescue him.
Do you feel burdened? Do you feel that your relationship with God is not what it once was? Don’t give up! It’s precisely at those times when you don’t feel God’s presence that you need to exercise your faith all the more. Go ahead and repent if you need to. Take a deep breath, offer a silent prayer of trust, and take up your cross again. Choose to keep going, even if you are apprehensive. You will find the Lord walking with you, even if it’s in unexpected ways.
It is beyond question that God loves you. Today, take hold of opportunities to put your faith into practice. When your hope begins to waver, reread God’s promises to Jeremiah. Let the Holy Spirit comfort you so that you can walk on in confidence. God is walking right next to you. He is faithful. He will bring about his purposes in you!
“Father, help me to see that you are always with me. I believe that you have not abandoned me. I trust in your unfailing love.”
Jer 15:10, 16-21
Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth!
a man of strife and contention to all the land!
I neither borrow nor lend,
yet all curse me.
When I found your words, I devoured them;
they became my joy and the happiness of my heart,
Because I bore your name,
O LORD, God of hosts.
I did not sit celebrating
in the circle of merrymakers;
Under the weight of your hand I sat alone
because you filled me with indignation.
Why is my pain continuous,
my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook,
whose waters do not abide!
Thus the LORD answered me:
If you repent, so that I restore you,
in my presence you shall stand;
If you bring forth the precious without the vile,
you shall be my mouthpiece.
Then it shall be they who turn to you,
and you shall not turn to them;
And I will make you toward this people
a solid wall of brass.
Though they fight against you,
they shall not prevail,
For I am with you,
to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD.
I will free you from the hand of the wicked,
and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.
Gospel
Mt 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."
Meditation: Jeremiah 15:10,16-21
“I am with you.” (Jeremiah 15:20)
Surely each of us has had tough days. Maybe even tough weeks or months. One problem after another seems to pile up—sometimes relatively inconsequential things: We oversleep and are late for work or school, we misplace something valuable, or someone else gets the attention we want. We may face much more serious setbacks: We lose our job, our health fails, or we feel alone or isolated. We may even suffer when we see those we love undergoing hardships. Our faith can be shaken to the point where we begin to question whether God really is with us.
Jeremiah has important words for us at times like these: God has not abandoned us! As a prophet of the Lord, he went through difficulty himself. Just think of how it felt when he was arrested and almost killed for speaking the word of the Lord. Or imagine what it cost him to experience in his own heart the pain that God feels when his people turn from him. In the midst of these hardships, Jeremiah cried out to God, and God comforted him. Did Jeremiah have to face his own failings and repent? Yes. Did he have to continue on despite the difficulty? Yes. But God affirmed that he would always be with Jeremiah and would deliver and rescue him.
Do you feel burdened? Do you feel that your relationship with God is not what it once was? Don’t give up! It’s precisely at those times when you don’t feel God’s presence that you need to exercise your faith all the more. Go ahead and repent if you need to. Take a deep breath, offer a silent prayer of trust, and take up your cross again. Choose to keep going, even if you are apprehensive. You will find the Lord walking with you, even if it’s in unexpected ways.
It is beyond question that God loves you. Today, take hold of opportunities to put your faith into practice. When your hope begins to waver, reread God’s promises to Jeremiah. Let the Holy Spirit comfort you so that you can walk on in confidence. God is walking right next to you. He is faithful. He will bring about his purposes in you!
“Father, help me to see that you are always with me. I believe that you have not abandoned me. I trust in your unfailing love.”
27 July 2010
27 July 2010, Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Jer 14:17-22
Let my eyes stream with tears
day and night, without rest,
Over the great destruction which overwhelms
the virgin daughter of my people,
over her incurable wound.
If I walk out into the field,
look! those slain by the sword;
If I enter the city,
look! those consumed by hunger.
Even the prophet and the priest
forage in a land they know not.
Have you cast Judah off completely?
Is Zion loathsome to you?
Why have you struck us a blow
that cannot be healed?
We wait for peace, to no avail;
for a time of healing, but terror comes instead.
We recognize, O LORD, our wickedness,
the guilt of our fathers;
that we have sinned against you.
For your name's sake spurn us not,
disgrace not the throne of your glory;
remember your covenant with us, and break it not.
Among the nations' idols is there any that gives rain?
Or can the mere heavens send showers?
Is it not you alone, O LORD,
our God, to whom we look?
You alone have done all these things.
Gospel
Mt 13:36-43
Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
"Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."
He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear."
Meditation: Jeremiah 14:17-22
“Let my eyes stream with tears.” (Jeremiah 14:17)
It’s always easier to hear a message of hope than a message of woe. That’s why the people of Jerusalem found it hard to accept many of Jeremiah’s prophecies. He warned them that unless they turned back to God, their land would suffer the consequences. Unfortunately, everything Jeremiah said came to pass: drought, famine, an invading army, and finally exile. What can possibly inspire us about this tragic tale?
If we look around, we can see at least as many problems today as existed in Jeremiah’s time. In fact, if we think about it long enough, we may also be moved to tears. What of all the pain caused by abortion, drug addiction, and domestic violence? What of the poor who live in unimaginable squalor? As God’s people, we must surely empathize with all of the sadness, loss, and suffering.
But our response doesn’t have to end there. In fact, it would be unchristian to let it stay there. Many critics of religion point to suffering as a reason not to believe in God, but we can say exactly the opposite. God’s will is not to cause suffering but to stop it. That’s why he sent his Son! Jesus came to free us from sin and to give us the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). He came to bring heaven down to earth and he now calls all of us to build that kingdom here and now.
We shouldn’t just sit around and watch things get worse. We all share in Jesus’ office of priest, prophet, and king. Sometimes we’re called to be like priests and minister his healing and his salvation to those who are hurting and alone. At other times we can act as prophets, speaking the word of the Lord to those who have lost hope or don’t know if they can trust in God. And we can exercise kingly gifts: providing food, shelter, and justice for the marginalized, the, poor, and the neglected.
Yes, our eyes should “stream with tears.” But at the same time our hands and feet should be just as busy, bringing hope and healing to all God’s people.
“Lord, give me compassion for the wounded people you have placed in my path. Give me the courage to reach out to them and the wisdom to help them as best I can.”
Jer 14:17-22
Let my eyes stream with tears
day and night, without rest,
Over the great destruction which overwhelms
the virgin daughter of my people,
over her incurable wound.
If I walk out into the field,
look! those slain by the sword;
If I enter the city,
look! those consumed by hunger.
Even the prophet and the priest
forage in a land they know not.
Have you cast Judah off completely?
Is Zion loathsome to you?
Why have you struck us a blow
that cannot be healed?
We wait for peace, to no avail;
for a time of healing, but terror comes instead.
We recognize, O LORD, our wickedness,
the guilt of our fathers;
that we have sinned against you.
For your name's sake spurn us not,
disgrace not the throne of your glory;
remember your covenant with us, and break it not.
Among the nations' idols is there any that gives rain?
Or can the mere heavens send showers?
Is it not you alone, O LORD,
our God, to whom we look?
You alone have done all these things.
Gospel
Mt 13:36-43
Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
"Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."
He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear."
Meditation: Jeremiah 14:17-22
“Let my eyes stream with tears.” (Jeremiah 14:17)
It’s always easier to hear a message of hope than a message of woe. That’s why the people of Jerusalem found it hard to accept many of Jeremiah’s prophecies. He warned them that unless they turned back to God, their land would suffer the consequences. Unfortunately, everything Jeremiah said came to pass: drought, famine, an invading army, and finally exile. What can possibly inspire us about this tragic tale?
If we look around, we can see at least as many problems today as existed in Jeremiah’s time. In fact, if we think about it long enough, we may also be moved to tears. What of all the pain caused by abortion, drug addiction, and domestic violence? What of the poor who live in unimaginable squalor? As God’s people, we must surely empathize with all of the sadness, loss, and suffering.
But our response doesn’t have to end there. In fact, it would be unchristian to let it stay there. Many critics of religion point to suffering as a reason not to believe in God, but we can say exactly the opposite. God’s will is not to cause suffering but to stop it. That’s why he sent his Son! Jesus came to free us from sin and to give us the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). He came to bring heaven down to earth and he now calls all of us to build that kingdom here and now.
We shouldn’t just sit around and watch things get worse. We all share in Jesus’ office of priest, prophet, and king. Sometimes we’re called to be like priests and minister his healing and his salvation to those who are hurting and alone. At other times we can act as prophets, speaking the word of the Lord to those who have lost hope or don’t know if they can trust in God. And we can exercise kingly gifts: providing food, shelter, and justice for the marginalized, the, poor, and the neglected.
Yes, our eyes should “stream with tears.” But at the same time our hands and feet should be just as busy, bringing hope and healing to all God’s people.
“Lord, give me compassion for the wounded people you have placed in my path. Give me the courage to reach out to them and the wisdom to help them as best I can.”
26 July 2010
26 July 2010, Memorial of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne,
Reading 1
Jer 13:1-11
The LORD said to me: Go buy yourself a linen loincloth;
wear it on your loins, but do not put it in water.
I bought the loincloth, as the LORD commanded, and put it on.
A second time the word of the LORD came to me thus:
Take the loincloth which you bought and are wearing,
and go now to the Parath;
there hide it in a cleft of the rock.
Obedient to the LORD's command, I went to the Parath
and buried the loincloth.
After a long interval, the LORD said to me:
Go now to the Parath and fetch the loincloth
which I told you to hide there.
Again I went to the Parath, sought out and took the loincloth
from the place where I had hid it.
But it was rotted, good for nothing!
Then the message came to me from the LORD:
Thus says the LORD:
So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot,
the great pride of Jerusalem.
This wicked people who refuse to obey my words,
who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts,
and follow strange gods to serve and adore them,
shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing.
For, as close as the loincloth clings to a man's loins,
so had I made the whole house of Israel
and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD;
to be my people, my renown, my praise, my beauty.
But they did not listen.
Gospel
Mt 13:31-35
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the 'birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.'"
He spoke to them another parable.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened."
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.
Meditation: Matthew 13:31-35
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast.” (Matthew 13:33)
There are a lot of ways to look at Jesus’ parable about yeast. If we do some creative thinking, we can see the wheat as standing for the Eucharist, the living bread we receive at every Mass. After all, the Mass is what unites us to Christ and gives us a share in his kingdom. But if that is true, how should we see the yeast? The Eucharist is made from unleavened bread, like the ancient Passover bread. And Paul tells us that we are to get rid of the “old yeast” of sin, and become “a fresh batch,” without yeast, purified by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Here, as in many of his other parables, Jesus uses a symbol to turn our understanding upside down. The yeast Jesus is talking about is invisible: It is our faith, because only faith can bring the kingdom to life. It is the “leaven” of faith that lets Jesus, present in the Eucharist, rise up in us and do his work in the world.
Without faith, the transformation of the bread and wine, miraculous though it is, will have little effect on us. However, to be obedient, we don’t need a great amount of faith—just real faith. Simply to believe that Jesus is truly present for us in the Mass and to trust that he will give us his love and mercy is enough to start with. Then, as we continue to trust and to take him seriously, we can expect amazing things to happen. Like the woman who used only a little yeast to leaven a whole batch of flour, our little, but sincere, faith can make a big difference.
Jesus wants his love to grow in us. If we give our hearts to him at Mass, we will be blessed, and in turn, we will bless those around us. We will see miracles in our lives because the God of miracles will be with us. So let’s come to the Lord with expectant faith, for he is the most generous of fathers. Jesus told St. Faustina that those who “trust boundlessly” in him would receive all of his grace: “I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is my desire to give much, very much.”
“Lord, today I put my trust in your promises. Take my heart, and transform it with your love. Use my gifts to build your kingdom.”
Jer 13:1-11
The LORD said to me: Go buy yourself a linen loincloth;
wear it on your loins, but do not put it in water.
I bought the loincloth, as the LORD commanded, and put it on.
A second time the word of the LORD came to me thus:
Take the loincloth which you bought and are wearing,
and go now to the Parath;
there hide it in a cleft of the rock.
Obedient to the LORD's command, I went to the Parath
and buried the loincloth.
After a long interval, the LORD said to me:
Go now to the Parath and fetch the loincloth
which I told you to hide there.
Again I went to the Parath, sought out and took the loincloth
from the place where I had hid it.
But it was rotted, good for nothing!
Then the message came to me from the LORD:
Thus says the LORD:
So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot,
the great pride of Jerusalem.
This wicked people who refuse to obey my words,
who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts,
and follow strange gods to serve and adore them,
shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing.
For, as close as the loincloth clings to a man's loins,
so had I made the whole house of Israel
and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD;
to be my people, my renown, my praise, my beauty.
But they did not listen.
Gospel
Mt 13:31-35
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the 'birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.'"
He spoke to them another parable.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened."
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables,
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:
I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation
of the world.
Meditation: Matthew 13:31-35
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast.” (Matthew 13:33)
There are a lot of ways to look at Jesus’ parable about yeast. If we do some creative thinking, we can see the wheat as standing for the Eucharist, the living bread we receive at every Mass. After all, the Mass is what unites us to Christ and gives us a share in his kingdom. But if that is true, how should we see the yeast? The Eucharist is made from unleavened bread, like the ancient Passover bread. And Paul tells us that we are to get rid of the “old yeast” of sin, and become “a fresh batch,” without yeast, purified by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Here, as in many of his other parables, Jesus uses a symbol to turn our understanding upside down. The yeast Jesus is talking about is invisible: It is our faith, because only faith can bring the kingdom to life. It is the “leaven” of faith that lets Jesus, present in the Eucharist, rise up in us and do his work in the world.
Without faith, the transformation of the bread and wine, miraculous though it is, will have little effect on us. However, to be obedient, we don’t need a great amount of faith—just real faith. Simply to believe that Jesus is truly present for us in the Mass and to trust that he will give us his love and mercy is enough to start with. Then, as we continue to trust and to take him seriously, we can expect amazing things to happen. Like the woman who used only a little yeast to leaven a whole batch of flour, our little, but sincere, faith can make a big difference.
Jesus wants his love to grow in us. If we give our hearts to him at Mass, we will be blessed, and in turn, we will bless those around us. We will see miracles in our lives because the God of miracles will be with us. So let’s come to the Lord with expectant faith, for he is the most generous of fathers. Jesus told St. Faustina that those who “trust boundlessly” in him would receive all of his grace: “I rejoice that they ask for much, because it is my desire to give much, very much.”
“Lord, today I put my trust in your promises. Take my heart, and transform it with your love. Use my gifts to build your kingdom.”
25 July 2010
25 July 2010, Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Gn 18:20-32
In those days, the LORD said: "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great,
and their sin so grave,
that I must go down and see whether or not their actions
fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me.
I mean to find out."
While Abraham's visitors walked on farther toward Sodom,
the LORD remained standing before Abraham.
Then Abraham drew nearer and said:
"Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty?
Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city;
would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it
for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it?
Far be it from you to do such a thing,
to make the innocent die with the guilty
so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike!
Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?"
The LORD replied,
"If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom,
I will spare the whole place for their sake."
Abraham spoke up again:
"See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord,
though I am but dust and ashes!
What if there are five less than fifty innocent people?
Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?"
He answered, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."
But Abraham persisted, saying "What if only forty are found there?"
He replied, "I will forbear doing it for the sake of the forty."
Then Abraham said, "Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on.
What if only thirty are found there?"
He replied, "I will forbear doing it if I can find but thirty there."
Still Abraham went on,
"Since I have thus dared to speak to my Lord,
what if there are no more than twenty?"
The LORD answered, "I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty."
But he still persisted:
"Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time.
What if there are at least ten there?"
He replied, "For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it."
Reading 2
Col 2:12-14
Brothers and sisters:
You were buried with him in baptism,
in which you were also raised with him
through faith in the power of God,
who raised him from the dead.
And even when you were dead
in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh,
he brought you to life along with him,
having forgiven us all our transgressions;
obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims,
which was opposed to us,
he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross.
Gospel
Lk 11:1-13
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
"Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."
He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test."
And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,'
and he says in reply from within,
'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.'
I tell you,
if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
"And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"
Meditation: Luke 11:1-13
“Ask. Seek. Knock.” (Luke 11:9)
We all have our limits. Even with our own children, we have only so much patience. Sometimes we just get worn out and can lose our cool with them.
Isn’t it amazing, then, to hear Jesus say that our heavenly Father has unlimited patience? Isn’t it astounding that he tells us to go ahead and wear God out with our requests?
Despite these assurances, we can still find it hard to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking on heaven’s door. We still love God and trust him, but a sense of fate or common sense can overcome simple, trusting faith in the God of the impossible. We get worn out quickly or we lose our focus. Perhaps we spend a day or two on a petition, but we are nothing like the persistent neighbor with his nighttime request.
Brothers and sisters, God wants us to bombard him with our petitions every day. He assures us that we cannot overdo it. Part of the solution to problems like abortion, war, illness, broken families, and grinding poverty is constant, persistent, unrelenting prayer. Our Father wants to give us good gifts. He wants to help us with our problems. So be persistent. Go to him every day, and ask and ask and ask. Never stop asking. Never give up. Never lose hope.
“I thank you, Lord, with all my heart… . When I cried out, you answered; you strengthened my spirit.” So prayed the psalmist in today’s readings (Psalm 138:1,3). Surely we too can cry out to heaven with patience and persistence. Surely we too can keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. Why? Because “the Lord is on high, but cares for the lowly” (138:6). That’s each one of us. He will never leave us wanting!
“Father, we ask you to heal our wounded, suffering world. Pour out grace from your throne, and renew the face of the earth. We will never stop praising you, for we know that you are faithful to the end.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions for Individual Reflection or Group Discussion
(Genesis 18:20-32, Psalm 138:1-3,6-8, Colossians 2:12-14, Luke 11:1-13)
1. In the first reading, we discover that Abraham had such an intimate relationship with the Lord that he was willing to contend with Him on the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord is calling all Christians to this same kind of intimate relationship with Him. How would you characterize your relationship with Jesus Christ? With your Heavenly Father? How can these relationships be deepened in your life?
2. In the responsorial psalm, we hear these words, “The Lord will complete what he has done for me; your kindness endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands” (Psalm 138:7-8). These words echo St. Paul’s words in Philippians 1:6, “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” How would you describe your trust and confidence in the Lord that he will complete the work he has begun in you?
3. In the letter to the Colossians, St. Paul says that God has “forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14). Do you believe that through Baptism and faith in Jesus Christ, all your sins were nailed to the cross? In what way does (or does not) this truth of our faith influence how you live out your day?
4. In the Gospel reading, Jesus gives his disciples the perfect prayer, the Our Father, in response to his disciples’ request: “Lord, teach us to pray.” When we say the Our Father each Sunday at Mass we ask the Father to “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Matthew 6:14-15, which are the verses immediately following the Our Father, goes on to say that, “If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” What is your reaction to these words? If there is anyone you need to forgive? Don’t delay – do it now.
5. The meditation ends with these words, “Surely we too can cry out to heaven with patience and persistence. Surely we too can keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. Why? Because ‘the Lord is on high, but cares for the lowly’ (138:6). That’s each one of us. He will never leave us wanting!” How patient and persistent are you in your prayers? What steps can you take to increase your patience and persistence?
Gn 18:20-32
In those days, the LORD said: "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great,
and their sin so grave,
that I must go down and see whether or not their actions
fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me.
I mean to find out."
While Abraham's visitors walked on farther toward Sodom,
the LORD remained standing before Abraham.
Then Abraham drew nearer and said:
"Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty?
Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city;
would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it
for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it?
Far be it from you to do such a thing,
to make the innocent die with the guilty
so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike!
Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?"
The LORD replied,
"If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom,
I will spare the whole place for their sake."
Abraham spoke up again:
"See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord,
though I am but dust and ashes!
What if there are five less than fifty innocent people?
Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?"
He answered, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."
But Abraham persisted, saying "What if only forty are found there?"
He replied, "I will forbear doing it for the sake of the forty."
Then Abraham said, "Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on.
What if only thirty are found there?"
He replied, "I will forbear doing it if I can find but thirty there."
Still Abraham went on,
"Since I have thus dared to speak to my Lord,
what if there are no more than twenty?"
The LORD answered, "I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty."
But he still persisted:
"Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time.
What if there are at least ten there?"
He replied, "For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it."
Reading 2
Col 2:12-14
Brothers and sisters:
You were buried with him in baptism,
in which you were also raised with him
through faith in the power of God,
who raised him from the dead.
And even when you were dead
in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh,
he brought you to life along with him,
having forgiven us all our transgressions;
obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims,
which was opposed to us,
he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross.
Gospel
Lk 11:1-13
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
"Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."
He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test."
And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,'
and he says in reply from within,
'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.'
I tell you,
if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
"And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven
give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"
Meditation: Luke 11:1-13
“Ask. Seek. Knock.” (Luke 11:9)
We all have our limits. Even with our own children, we have only so much patience. Sometimes we just get worn out and can lose our cool with them.
Isn’t it amazing, then, to hear Jesus say that our heavenly Father has unlimited patience? Isn’t it astounding that he tells us to go ahead and wear God out with our requests?
Despite these assurances, we can still find it hard to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking on heaven’s door. We still love God and trust him, but a sense of fate or common sense can overcome simple, trusting faith in the God of the impossible. We get worn out quickly or we lose our focus. Perhaps we spend a day or two on a petition, but we are nothing like the persistent neighbor with his nighttime request.
Brothers and sisters, God wants us to bombard him with our petitions every day. He assures us that we cannot overdo it. Part of the solution to problems like abortion, war, illness, broken families, and grinding poverty is constant, persistent, unrelenting prayer. Our Father wants to give us good gifts. He wants to help us with our problems. So be persistent. Go to him every day, and ask and ask and ask. Never stop asking. Never give up. Never lose hope.
“I thank you, Lord, with all my heart… . When I cried out, you answered; you strengthened my spirit.” So prayed the psalmist in today’s readings (Psalm 138:1,3). Surely we too can cry out to heaven with patience and persistence. Surely we too can keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. Why? Because “the Lord is on high, but cares for the lowly” (138:6). That’s each one of us. He will never leave us wanting!
“Father, we ask you to heal our wounded, suffering world. Pour out grace from your throne, and renew the face of the earth. We will never stop praising you, for we know that you are faithful to the end.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions for Individual Reflection or Group Discussion
(Genesis 18:20-32, Psalm 138:1-3,6-8, Colossians 2:12-14, Luke 11:1-13)
1. In the first reading, we discover that Abraham had such an intimate relationship with the Lord that he was willing to contend with Him on the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord is calling all Christians to this same kind of intimate relationship with Him. How would you characterize your relationship with Jesus Christ? With your Heavenly Father? How can these relationships be deepened in your life?
2. In the responsorial psalm, we hear these words, “The Lord will complete what he has done for me; your kindness endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands” (Psalm 138:7-8). These words echo St. Paul’s words in Philippians 1:6, “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” How would you describe your trust and confidence in the Lord that he will complete the work he has begun in you?
3. In the letter to the Colossians, St. Paul says that God has “forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14). Do you believe that through Baptism and faith in Jesus Christ, all your sins were nailed to the cross? In what way does (or does not) this truth of our faith influence how you live out your day?
4. In the Gospel reading, Jesus gives his disciples the perfect prayer, the Our Father, in response to his disciples’ request: “Lord, teach us to pray.” When we say the Our Father each Sunday at Mass we ask the Father to “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Matthew 6:14-15, which are the verses immediately following the Our Father, goes on to say that, “If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” What is your reaction to these words? If there is anyone you need to forgive? Don’t delay – do it now.
5. The meditation ends with these words, “Surely we too can cry out to heaven with patience and persistence. Surely we too can keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. Why? Because ‘the Lord is on high, but cares for the lowly’ (138:6). That’s each one of us. He will never leave us wanting!” How patient and persistent are you in your prayers? What steps can you take to increase your patience and persistence?
24 July 2010
24 July 2010, Saturday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Jer 7:1-11
The following message came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Stand at the gate of the house of the LORD,
and there proclaim this message:
Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah
who enter these gates to worship the LORD!
Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
Reform your ways and your deeds,
so that I may remain with you in this place.
Put not your trust in the deceitful words:
"This is the temple of the LORD!
The temple of the LORD! The temple of the LORD!"
Only if you thoroughly reform your ways and your deeds;
if each of you deals justly with his neighbor;
if you no longer oppress the resident alien,
the orphan, and the widow;
if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place,
or follow strange gods to your own harm,
will I remain with you in this place,
in the land I gave your fathers long ago and forever.
But here you are, putting your trust in deceitful words to your own loss!
Are you to steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury,
burn incense to Baal,
go after strange gods that you know not,
and yet come to stand before me
in this house which bears my name, and say:
"We are safe; we can commit all these abominations again"?
Has this house which bears my name
become in your eyes a den of thieves?
I too see what is being done, says the LORD.
Gospel
Mt 13:24-30
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
"The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?'
He answered, 'An enemy has done this.'
His slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
"First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn."'"
Meditation: Jeremiah 7:1-11
“This is the temple of the Lord!” (Jeremiah 7:4)
Picture a commanding figure standing in the Vatican and loudly proclaiming: “Don’t put your trust in the deceitful words, ‘I’m a Catholic, I’m a Catholic, I’m a Catholic!’” If you can imagine how unsettling that would be, you can begin to appreciate how the Jews reacted to Jeremiah’s sermon before the Temple in Jerusalem.
Chosen by God as his earthly dwelling, the Temple symbolized his protection over the whole nation. And the people Jeremiah addressed were not the lukewarm or the non-practicing. He was speaking to worshipers who were happily going about their public religious duties. How outraged they were to hear him foretell doom as he mocked their trusting cry, “the temple of the Lord!”
But Jeremiah was speaking God’s word, not his own. God truly was displeased to see his people loving liturgy without loving their neighbors. By neglecting and oppressing the poor and defenseless—the very ones God wanted them to care for—they had broken their covenant (Jeremiah 7:5-6; Exodus 22:1-4). They rejected justice, yet showed up to offer sacrifice, confident that God would bless them. But Jeremiah warned: You’re making this holy place “a den of thieves,” and God sees your hypocrisy (Jeremiah 7:11).
God hasn’t changed. He still hates self-centered religion that passes for worship. He still expects us to share his desire that everyone, especially the poorest and weakest, will have a decent life. Jesus made this clear from his opening mission statement about bringing glad tidings to the poor to his final parable about the sheep and the goats: Extend mercy to those in need.
Take a few minutes today to consider the issues Jeremiah raises. See if there’s some way you can help improve the lives of the disadvantaged. Is there a program in your parish or community that you can support? If you are already involved, see if there is someone else you can invite to join you. We may not change the entire world, but we can bring the light of Jesus into lives that are hurting, lonely, and forgotten.
“Jesus, I know it’s not enough to say holy words and visit holy places. I need to become holy! Fill my heart with your love for the poor. May my prayer—my whole life—be more and more pleasing to you.”
Jer 7:1-11
The following message came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Stand at the gate of the house of the LORD,
and there proclaim this message:
Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah
who enter these gates to worship the LORD!
Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
Reform your ways and your deeds,
so that I may remain with you in this place.
Put not your trust in the deceitful words:
"This is the temple of the LORD!
The temple of the LORD! The temple of the LORD!"
Only if you thoroughly reform your ways and your deeds;
if each of you deals justly with his neighbor;
if you no longer oppress the resident alien,
the orphan, and the widow;
if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place,
or follow strange gods to your own harm,
will I remain with you in this place,
in the land I gave your fathers long ago and forever.
But here you are, putting your trust in deceitful words to your own loss!
Are you to steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury,
burn incense to Baal,
go after strange gods that you know not,
and yet come to stand before me
in this house which bears my name, and say:
"We are safe; we can commit all these abominations again"?
Has this house which bears my name
become in your eyes a den of thieves?
I too see what is being done, says the LORD.
Gospel
Mt 13:24-30
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
"The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?'
He answered, 'An enemy has done this.'
His slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'
He replied, 'No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
"First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn."'"
Meditation: Jeremiah 7:1-11
“This is the temple of the Lord!” (Jeremiah 7:4)
Picture a commanding figure standing in the Vatican and loudly proclaiming: “Don’t put your trust in the deceitful words, ‘I’m a Catholic, I’m a Catholic, I’m a Catholic!’” If you can imagine how unsettling that would be, you can begin to appreciate how the Jews reacted to Jeremiah’s sermon before the Temple in Jerusalem.
Chosen by God as his earthly dwelling, the Temple symbolized his protection over the whole nation. And the people Jeremiah addressed were not the lukewarm or the non-practicing. He was speaking to worshipers who were happily going about their public religious duties. How outraged they were to hear him foretell doom as he mocked their trusting cry, “the temple of the Lord!”
But Jeremiah was speaking God’s word, not his own. God truly was displeased to see his people loving liturgy without loving their neighbors. By neglecting and oppressing the poor and defenseless—the very ones God wanted them to care for—they had broken their covenant (Jeremiah 7:5-6; Exodus 22:1-4). They rejected justice, yet showed up to offer sacrifice, confident that God would bless them. But Jeremiah warned: You’re making this holy place “a den of thieves,” and God sees your hypocrisy (Jeremiah 7:11).
God hasn’t changed. He still hates self-centered religion that passes for worship. He still expects us to share his desire that everyone, especially the poorest and weakest, will have a decent life. Jesus made this clear from his opening mission statement about bringing glad tidings to the poor to his final parable about the sheep and the goats: Extend mercy to those in need.
Take a few minutes today to consider the issues Jeremiah raises. See if there’s some way you can help improve the lives of the disadvantaged. Is there a program in your parish or community that you can support? If you are already involved, see if there is someone else you can invite to join you. We may not change the entire world, but we can bring the light of Jesus into lives that are hurting, lonely, and forgotten.
“Jesus, I know it’s not enough to say holy words and visit holy places. I need to become holy! Fill my heart with your love for the poor. May my prayer—my whole life—be more and more pleasing to you.”
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