Stories from Plummer: 2016

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite consideration of the attitude we adopt when we present ourselves as being on top of the world. This attitude is often one fueled by our ego and bravado. The Prophet Jeremiah describes how the failure of the people Judah to rely on God instead of human political manipulation brings destruction and exile. However the Prophet points to the renewal of the Davidic dynasty on the eschatological “day of the Lord.” when mercy and forgiveness of God is experienced by the people. In the Gospel from Matthew, the bluster and impetuousness of Peter as he steps out of the boat meets fear of the unknown as his faith falters and Jesus restores him to safety in the boat. The faith of Peter grew in the humility of sinking is an irony for us to ponder.

Our tendency to be self centered

The prophet Jeremiah denounces the prophet Hananiah as one not sent by God. Hananiah raised false confidence in the people. That same year, Hananiah the prophet died. The multiplication of the loaves and fishes by Jesus in response to the needs of the people to be fed is a passage in Matthew’s Gospel which underlines the seeking of the people for spiritual nourishment as they follow Jesus to the deserted place where He had gone in response to the death of John the Baptist. The perfect meal, 5 loaves and 2 fish, of 7 components is distributed to the crowd and the uneaten food fills twelve baskets as more than enough to fill the 12 tribes of Israel. The actions which we take to advance our own power and authority are building our ego and our tendency to be self centered. The participation in life which we have been graced to share with friends and family may encounter difficulties arising from self serving motives. Our home with Christ is the place, sometimes remote, where our spiritual needs are fed and we are reaffirmed that Providence will see that we have what we need to live with all our family.

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Patience with ego demands

The life of those who are hidden in Christ is a theme from the texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today. The Wisdom from the Book of Ecclesiastes suggests that we are prone to satisfy our ego drives to self promote. One aspect of living in the hidden life of Christ might be our patience with vanity in ourselves and others. The Gospel from Luke prompts us to assess with thanksgiving our wealth, both spiritual and material, and from that grace act with our blessings in the manner pleasing to God. Summer replacement of the usual routine with rest and recreation by the lake with family brings opportunity for practicing patience and praising peace.

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Support the prophet

The summer activities at the lake seem to be very far away from the threats on the life of Jeremiah and the execution of John the Baptist which are the events from the texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today. The person in the family who speaks the uncomfortable truths about difficult situations may have the sense of rejection experienced by Jeremiah. Perhaps the need for a champion to support the prophetic family member is a role we may be called to fulfill. The death of John the Baptist as the consequence of a need to save face may invite some contemplation of the little deaths we may have initiated by our need to satisfy ego and our place in the family or group.

Friday, July 29, 2016

Some challenges in the peace of summer

The response we take to the challenging situations in life is a theme today in the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary. Even when we take some time to get away from our usual routine and retreat to the lake we may find the peace we desire is accompanied with concerns of the world. Jeremiah is one who takes the changes in Judah and worship in the Temple as the will of God. He responds to God calling him as a prophet and finds, not surprisingly that his call to repent and turn away from idol worship is received poorly by the priests and prophets, who wish to kill him. Martha, who along with Mary and Lazarus are presented in the Gospels as close intimate friends of Jesus, is portrayed in two different aspects in the text from John or the alternate text from Luke. The death of Lazarus and the response of Jesus has evoked the declaration from her that she knows her friend is the Christ, the Son of God. In the passage from Luke, we find that her choice to be the perfect host to the guests who arrived with Jesus at her home is placed at a lower priority than the choice of her sister Mary to attend to the discussion of Jesus with the people. Our time away may be our need to choose to be in intimate relationship with Him or to let the lower priorities block our true peace.