The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate with the reality that practicing our faith in Word and action will raise objection and even hostility from some people who we can relate to with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
In the reading from the Prophet Jeremiah, he denounces His Persecutors
Psalm 18 is a Royal Thanksgiving for Victory.
* [Psalm 18] A royal thanksgiving for a military victory, duplicated in 2 Sm 22. Thanksgiving Psalms are in essence reports of divine rescue. The Psalm has two parallel reports of rescue, the first told from a heavenly perspective (Ps 18:5–20), and the second from an earthly perspective (Ps 18:36–46). The first report adapts old mythic language of a cosmic battle between sea and rainstorm in order to depict God’s rescue of the Israelite king from his enemies. Each report has a short hymnic introduction (Ps 18:2–4, 32–36) and conclusion (Ps 18:21–31, 47–50). (Psalms, PSALM 18 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of John, Jesus claims the Works of the Father.
* [10:34] This is a reference to the judges of Israel who, since they exercised the divine prerogative to judge (Dt 1:17), were called “gods”; cf. Ex 21:6, besides Ps 82:6 from which the quotation comes.
* [10:36] Consecrated: this may be a reference to the rededicated altar at the Hanukkah feast; see note on Jn 10:22.
* [10:41] Performed no sign: this is to stress the inferior role of John the Baptist. The Transjordan topography recalls the great witness of John the Baptist to Jesus, as opposed to the hostility of the authorities in Jerusalem. (John, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)
Steve Scholer comments that when our beliefs, perceived values, or interpretations of right and wrong are challenged, we rarely take the time to understand what is being said. Rather, we lash out in an attempt to destroy the person whose statements have offended our sensibilities. It is far easier to attack the speaker than to try to understand a different point of view.
As we go about our daily examen of conscience, let’s try to focus on having our minds more open to the actions and opinions of others. Let’s ask God to help us listen with open hearts to the expressed values and beliefs of those to whom we are often opposed to or know little about. Let us try to find common ground, or as John said, to find their good works.
Hopefully, through our discernment, we will see how God wants us to respond to daily challenges and learn to treat all whom we encounter fairly and with justice, that we do not denounce them simply because they don’t agree with us, in the hope of denigrating them. Let us try to find God’s presence within each and every person we encounter. (Scholer, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The sacrifice of Christ,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Even though the man Christ Jesus, in the form of God together with the Father with whom He is one God, accepts our sacrifice, nonetheless He has chosen in the form of a servant to be the sacrifice rather than to accept it. Therefore, He is the priest Himself Who presents the offering, and He Himself is what is offered." (excerpt from City of God, 10,20) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Jeremiah 20:10-13 comments that we have been so conditioned by life to think we have to fight all by ourselves. We are told that religion is for the weak and that we should be strong enough to handle whatever comes our way.
Don’t listen to these voices! You have a God in heaven who cares for you and wants to do good for you. He is very near to you. He is eager to give you every grace and blessing, in his good time and according to his perfect wisdom. A true champion, he will take up your cause and give you his grace, his insights, and his guidance to help you through every challenge. You don’t have to walk this path alone!
“I love you, O Lord, my strength, . . . my rock, my fortress, my deliverer!” (Psalm 18:2, 3) (Meditation on Jeremiah 20:10-13, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the situation of Jeremiah as he truthfully connects the misfortune of Judah to their disobedience to God and is threatened with death as a consequence. This is part of the “confessions of Jeremiah” a lament that expressed his sense of abandonment by God. The “Son of God” was a title given to kings and prophets in the Hebrew Testament. Friar Jude comments that Jesus' assertion as the “Only Son of God, I Am”, was violently rejected by the religious leaders.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, writes about encountering the Risen Christ in our ordinariness and woundedness.
True mysticism just allows us to “fish” from a different side of the boat and with different expectations of what success might mean. All the while, we are totally assured that we are already and always floating on a big, deep, life-filled pond. The mystical heart knows there is a fellow Fisherman nearby who is always available for good advice. He stands and beckons from the shores, at the edges of every ordinary life, every unreligious moment, every “secular” occupation, and he is still talking to working people who, like the first disciples, are not important, influential, especially “holy,” trained in theology, or even educated. This is the mystical doorway, which is not narrow but wide and welcoming. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)
We reflect that the trials and tribulations of our journey can be transformed as events through which we were held by God and formed into more experienced in our ability to accept life in the company of Providence.
References
Jeremiah, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 22, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/20?10
John, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 22, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/10?31
Meditation on Jeremiah 20:10-13. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved March 22, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/03/22/917708/
Psalms, PSALM 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 22, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/18?
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Ordinary Lives Transformed. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved March 22, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/ordinary-lives-transformed/
Scholer, S. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved March 22, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/032224.html
Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Am the Son of God. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 22, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=mar22
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