The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to ponder the paradox of finding peace and power in our moments of fear and persecution through the power of our relationship with Jesus in the Spirit.
Counter to the Culture
In the reading from the Prophet Jeremiah, his life is threatened.
Yet I was like a trusting lamb led to slaughter1
Psalm 7 is a plea for help against persecutors.
* [Psalm 7] An individual lament. The psalmist flees to God’s presence in the sanctuary for justice and protection (Ps 7:2–3) and takes an oath that only the innocent can swear (Ps 7:4–6). The innocent psalmist can thus hope for the just God’s protection (Ps 7:7–14) and be confident that the actions of the wicked will come back upon their own heads (Ps 7:15–17). The justice of God leads the psalmist to praise (Ps 7:18).2
The Gospel of John describes the division among the people and the unbelief of those in authority.
* [7:40–53] Discussion of the Davidic lineage of the Messiah.3
Nicodemus stands out for Suzanne Braddock who remembers he had gone to Jesus under cover of darkness, perhaps not wanting any of the authorities to know, to acknowledge Jesus’ closeness to God, to ask how it is that someone could be born again? His growth in faith and courage are shown by his standing up for Jesus in front of the Pharisees in today’s reading.
His spiritual maturation journey can serve as a model for us. Do we have the courage to acknowledge Jesus publicly? Do we dare gently ask the right questions when Jesus is scorned? Are we brave and faithful enough to accompany Jesus through his passion and death? Do we do any of these things for those we love? Do we do them for those we don’t love?4
Don Schwager quotes “Not by walking but by loving,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"We approach God not by walking but by loving. The purer our love for him toward whom we are striving, the more present to us will he be. To him, therefore, who is everywhere present and everywhere whole, we must proceed not by our feet but by our moral virtues - judged not by the object of our knowledge but by the object of our love." (excerpt from Letter 155,13)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 7:40-53 comments that while Jesus didn’t deal with social media algorithms, he encountered something similar: a noisy chorus of opinions, criticisms, and judgments. It was so unruly that the people risked losing sight of the powerful truth about Jesus as the Son of God. So how did Jesus keep his peace in the face of such chaos and opposition? In the very next verse of John’s Gospel, we find the answer: he went to the Mount of Olives (John 8:1).
There are many ways to carve out space to pray. It doesn’t matter where or how we do it. We just have to remember that if Jesus needed it, we do too. So try this exercise tomorrow morning: before reaching for your phone or starting your daily tasks, spend some time at your own “Mount of Olives.” Take a few minutes to be still in the presence of your heavenly Father. You will be amazed at how this brief, deliberate pause can shape your day. “Lord, help me find a quiet place to be with you.”6
Friar Jude Winkler notes the plot against Jeremiah was from people who did not want to hear the truth. Nicodemus grows in faith from curiosity, through concern for jurisprudence concerning Jesus, to risking his life to bury Jesus after the Crucifixion. Friar Jude notes that sometimes it is only at the Cross that we begin to understand.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces author and broadcaster Lisa Colón DeLay who understands fear as an emotion to become curious about, converse with, and ultimately befriend. She recommends having a conversation with our fears as a part of our inner growth in God.
When you realize that you are afraid or not doing well, sit down with your fear and have a conversation. Here are three ways to converse with fear: First, when you feel or notice discomfort, pause. Stay paused until you know more. Second, acknowledge what is happening in the moment. Be honest: “This feels bad—negative. What do I feel? Maybe it is fear, but I’m also angry. What else? I feel overlooked.” Third, dig a bit deeper. Ask, What is this trying to show me? or What else might be going on? Give yourself some time, and delve into the fear: “I’m not sure why I’m angry. Now, thinking about it more, it wasn’t such a good day. Three things happened today that made me feel frustrated, inferior, and like I wasn’t being taken seriously.” . . . 7
We follow Jesus in being counter cultural and in experiencing rejection and rebuke from which we know the healing of Life in the Spirit.
References
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