The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present the contrast between the corruption that may infect our lives and the fullness that accompanies our relationship with Christ in our daily activities.
In the reading from the Prophet Jeremiah, the Linen Loincloth is a symbol of Judah’s Corruption.
* [13:1–11] In this symbolic action, Jeremiah probably went to the village and spring of Parah, two and a half miles northeast of Anathoth, whose name closely resembled the Hebrew name of the river Euphrates (Perath), in order to dramatize the religious corruption of Judah at the hands of the Babylonians. (Jeremiah, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB, n.d.)
The response is from the Book of Deuteronomy.
* [32:21] “No-god”…“no-people”: worship of the gods of the nations brings destruction at the hands of a foreign invader. A false god cannot sustain or protect (cf. Jer 14:22); and though the nations seem “foolish” (see their characterization in such passages as Ps 114:1; Is 28:11; 33:19), they will prove to be anything but nonentities when the Lord stirs them up against Israel (Is 9:10–12). For the “no-” or “not-” construction, see Hos 1:6, 9; 2:1, 25.
The reading from the Gospel of John is the dialogue of Jesus with Martha before the Raising of Lazarus.
* [11:1–44] The raising of Lazarus, the longest continuous narrative in John outside of the passion account, is the climax of the signs. It leads directly to the decision of the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus. The theme of life predominates. Lazarus is a token of the real life that Jesus dead and raised will give to all who believe in him. Johannine irony is found in the fact that Jesus’ gift of life leads to his own death. The story is not found in the synoptics, but cf. Mk 5:21 and parallels; Lk 7:11–17. There are also parallels between this story and Luke’s parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus (Lk 16:19–31). In both a man named Lazarus dies; in Luke, there is a request that he return to convince his contemporaries of the need for faith and repentance, while in John, Lazarus does return and some believe but others do not. (John, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the alternate reading from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus comments on the role of Martha and Mary in hospitality.
* [10:38–42] The story of Martha and Mary further illustrates the importance of hearing the words of the teacher and the concern with women in Luke.
* [10:39] Sat beside the Lord at his feet: it is remarkable for first-century Palestinian Judaism that a woman would assume the posture of a disciple at the master’s feet (see also Lk 8:35; Acts 22:3), and it reveals a characteristic attitude of Jesus toward women in this gospel (see Lk 8:2–3).
* [10:42] There is need of only one thing: some ancient versions read, “there is need of few things”; another important, although probably inferior, reading found in some manuscripts is, “there is need of few things, or of one.” (Luke, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)
Cindy McMahon comments that these two readings emphasize Martha's comfort with speaking her mind with Jesus. She does not hesitate to complain, to show her exasperation. She also is quick to affirm her faith in him. I think from this we can learn to not hold anything back in our interactions with Jesus.
We have to have a balance. Sometimes, in fact, often, we need to just sit and listen to Jesus. Whether that is just being still so we can experience his spirit within us or reading and reflecting upon his actual words, we don't have to always say something. We can just take it in, let it nestle inside of us, and then eventually let what we learned influence our everyday lives and interactions.
(The excellent TV series The Chosen has produced its fourth season and has an episode devoted to Martha, Mary and Lazarus that truly brings their story to life.) (McMahon, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The voice of life and joy that awakens the dead,” by Athanasius of Alexandria (295-373 AD).
"I am the voice of life that wakens the dead. I am the good odor that takes away the foul odor. I am the voice of joy that takes away sorrow and grief.... I am the comfort of those who are in grief. Those who belong to me are given joy by me. I am the joy of the whole world. I gladden all my friends and rejoice with them. I am the bread of life" (John 6:35). (excerpt from HOMILY ON THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Jeremiah 13:1-11 comments that it is not always easy to cling to the Lord. Sometimes it takes a real effort to turn our hearts back to him.
But know this: your heavenly Father knows you inside and out. He knows about your struggles, but he also knows how much you love him. He sees your every effort to please him, he appreciates each of them, and he promises to fill them all with his grace. So every time you turn to him in your day, remember that as much as you want to cling to him, he wants it even more. He loves you, and he promises to help you love him in return.
“Lord, thank you for loving me so faithfully. Help me to cling to you every moment of my day!” (Meditation on Jeremiah 13:1-11, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the very intimate nature of the symbolic action of Jeremiah to indicate to the people that they had become rotten. Martha makes a strong appeal to Jesus. Realized eschatology in John and Luke is that we are already living in eternal life when we are in relationship with Jesus. Friar Jude reminds us that the contrast between the service of Martha and the attention of Mary is an indication of our need to slow down and be present.
Brian McLaren introduces CAC affiliate faculty Randy Woodley who connects the Hebrew concept of shalom with Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom of God.
Jesus used kingdom language in his context because it made sense to the people and powers to whom he spoke. His kingdom goal was stated simply: “On earth as it is in heaven.” In other words, heaven’s economy is to be made manifest in creation. And what is heaven’s economy? It is shalom, a Hebrew term often translated as “peace.” But peace doesn’t capture the depth of this word. Shalom is who the Creator is—the one God, a trinity of persons (from a Christian perspective) dwelling in harmony, mutuality, and deference toward one another and the creation. Shalom embodies wholeness, completeness, and love. It is strikingly similar to many Indigenous constructs of “harmony,” which emphasize the interconnectedness and interdependency of all things, the need for balance, and the primacy of community. And if that is what Jesus’ kingdom was about—radical shalom and harmony—it is helpful to translate this metaphor into something like community of creation, a phrase infused with Indigenous meaning, which more readily emphasizes that all living things are participating in this new peace that the Creator is bringing about through Christ. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)
We ponder the interplay of contemplation and action as necessary complements in our lives as followers of Christ.
References
Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 32 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/32?18
Jeremiah, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/13?1
John, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/11?19
Luke, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 29, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/10?38
McMahon, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved July 29, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/072924.html
Meditation on Jeremiah 13:1-11. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved July 29, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/07/29/1035317/
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. A Reign of Peace and Harmony. Retrieved July 29, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-reign-of-peace-and-harmony/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Martha Said to Jesus, "I Know He Will Rise Again". Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 29, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=jul29a
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