The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate with our experience of being rescued by the action of the Holy Spirit especially when our pride, pomposity, and privilege have led us away from our relationship to Love.
.jpg)
The reading from the Prophet Jeremiah describes the restoration promised for Israel and Judah.
* [30:1–31:40] These two chapters contain salvation oracles that originally expressed the double expectation that the Lord would return the exiled survivors of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and reunite Israel and Judah as one kingdom under a just Davidic king. They were probably composed early in Josiah’s reign (the reference of v. 9), when he took advantage of Assyria’s internal disintegration and asserted control over northern Israel (cf. 2 Kgs 23:15–17). With the destruction of Jerusalem, the oracles were re-worked to include Judah and their fulfillment along with the renewal of the Davidic dynasty became associated with the eschatological “day of the Lord.” (Jeremiah, CHAPTER 30, n.d.)
Psalm 102 is a prayer to the Eternal King for help.
* [Psalm 102] A lament, one of the Penitential Psalms. The psalmist, experiencing psychological and bodily disintegration (Ps 102:4–12), cries out to God (Ps 102:1–3). In the Temple precincts where God has promised to be present, the psalmist recalls God’s venerable promises to save the poor (Ps 102:13–23). The final part (Ps 102:24–28) restates the original complaint and prayer, and emphasizes God’s eternity. (Psalms, PSALM 102, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus walks on the water.
* [14:22–33] The disciples, laboring against the turbulent sea, are saved by Jesus. For his power over the waters, see note on Mt 8:26. Here that power is expressed also by his walking on the sea (Mt 14:25; cf. Ps 77:20; Jb 9:8). Matthew has inserted into the Marcan story (Mk 6:45–52) material that belongs to his special traditions on Peter (Mt 14:28–31). (Matthew, CHAPTER 14, n.d.)
Suzanne Braddock comments that our lives can be like this wonderful gospel passage over and over. We go from fear and doubt to trust and belief, only to stumble and be saved by this Jesus who, in his eagerness to save us, quickly reaches out his strong arm.
We wake at night - tossing in our sleep rather than on the waves - during the fourth watch – typically 3 am, and grumble “not again” instead of seeing it as a call from the Lord to reach out to him in prayer, remembering that this hour, this fourth watch, is holy time, a time of close encounter with our loving Lord.
May my first thoughts on waking be:
‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
“Come”
“Lord, save me!” (Creighton U. Daily Reflection, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Welcoming the Lord Jesus with expectant faith and humility,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"While human praise does not tempt the Lord, people are often ruffled and nearly entranced by human praise and honors in the church. Peter was afraid on the sea, terrified by the great force of the storm. Indeed, who does not fear that voice: 'Those who say you are happy place you in error and disturb the path of your feet' (Isaiah 3:12 Vulgate translation)? And since the soul struggles against the desire for human praise, it is good for it to turn to prayer and petition amid such danger, lest one who is charmed by praise be overcome by criticism and reproach. Let Peter, about to sink in the waves, cry out and say, 'Lord, save me!' The Lord reached out his hand. He chided Peter, saying, 'O man of little faith, why did you doubt?' - that is, why did you not, gazing straight at the Lord as you approached, pride yourself only in him? Nevertheless he snatched Peter from the waves and did not allow him who was declaring his weakness and asking the Lord for help to perish." (excerpt from SERMON 75:10) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22 comments that when we face tragedy and hardship, we often search for a reason why. We desperately want to make sense of what has happened. Sometimes we blame ourselves, to the point of thinking it’s a punishment for sin. Rather than condemnation, however, we can find comfort in the Lord. He is close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:19). He is not looking for a reason to punish us. Even in the case of Israel in Jeremiah’s time, his ultimate purpose for his people was healing and restoration (Jeremiah 30:18).
This is true for us too. Jesus came to heal and restore every situation. Sometimes we get to see that happen here and now, as when a miracle takes place or a relationship is mended. But for some things, we have to keep our eyes on heaven, where there will be no more sorrow, and every tear will be wiped away (Revelation 21:4).
Whatever you are facing, remember that the Lord is not out to punish you. Cling to him and ask him for his comfort and strength. He is with you always, especially in your sorrow and pain.
“Lord, thank you for your healing love.” (Meditation on Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the punishment and restoration from God connected to the sinfulness of turning to pagan gods. The passages from Matthew on feeding the five thousand and calming the sea resonate with a meditation on Psalm 23. Friar Jude reminds us of the way of the Spirit to use our troublesome character traits to create openings for faith to restore our fullness of Life.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces therapist and spiritual director Fiona Gardner who draws a deeper understanding of the value of our lost innocence from the writings of Thomas Merton.
Moving from knowledge to innocence regained is a way of temptation and struggle; “it is a matter of wrestling with supreme difficulties and overcoming obstacles that seem, and indeed are, beyond human strength.” [2]
Gardner compares Jesus’ teaching in Matthew to a Zen koan, which invites listeners to hold two contradictory statements together until a new awareness arises:
If we consider Jesus’ command to the would-be adult disciples to become as small children as equivalent to a koan, then the work is to hold the lost innocence and the knowledge until the breakthrough can emerge. . . . As Merton knew from his reading on the Desert Fathers and his own spiritual practice it is not possible as an adult to regain innocence without knowledge. . . .
Purity of heart is the recovery of divine likeness where the true self is lost in God. . . . This as Merton writes is “only a return to the true beginning.” [3] For this is where Christ is—in the beginning and in the becoming. This is the rebirth or a fresh start where Merton believed the preparation took place “for the real work of God which is revealed in the Bible: the work of the new creation, the resurrection from the dead, the resurrection of all things in Christ.” [4] (Rohr, 2022)
We act in the awareness of the Love of God for His children that resolves our troubles and strengthens our resolve to continue to follow Jesus.
References
Creighton U. Daily Reflection. (n.d.). Online Ministries. Retrieved August 2, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/080222.html
Jeremiah, CHAPTER 30. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 2, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/30?1
Matthew, CHAPTER 14. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 2, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/14?22
Meditation on Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 2, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/08/02/460499/
Psalms, PSALM 102. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 2, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/102?16
Rohr, R. (2022, August 2). Like a Child. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 2, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/like-a-child-2022-08-02/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). It Is I - Have No Fear. Daily Scripture net. Retrieved August 2, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=aug2
No comments:
Post a Comment