The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to be renewed in our conviction in the love of Christ for all humanity in contrast to forces of division that are rooted in evil.
The reading from the Prophet Jeremiah condemns Abuses in Worship.
o. [7:23] Jer 11:4; Lv 26:3, 12.
q. [7:25] 2 Chr 36:15–16; Bar 1:19.
r. [7:26] Jer 19:15; 2 Chr 30:8. (Jeremiah, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 95 is a Call to Worship and Obedience.
* [Psalm 95] Twice the Psalm calls the people to praise and worship God (Ps 95:1–2, 6), the king of all creatures (Ps 95:3–5) and shepherd of the flock (Ps 95:7a, 7b). The last strophe warns the people to be more faithful than were their ancestors in the journey to the promised land (Ps 95:7c–11). This invitation to praise God regularly opens the Church’s official prayer, the Liturgy of the Hours. (Psalms, PSALM 95 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Luke contrasts Jesus and Beelzebul.
* [11:19] Your own people: the Greek reads “your sons.” Other Jewish exorcists (see Acts 19:13–20), who recognize that the power of God is active in the exorcism, would themselves convict the accusers of Jesus. See also note on Mt 12:27.
* [11:22] One stronger: i.e., Jesus. Cf. Lk 3:16 where John the Baptist identifies Jesus as “mightier than I.” (Luke, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)
Kimberly Grassmeyer is watching all of the political goings-on that are causing very real pain across our precious at-risk common home - from well-intentioned workers losing their jobs to children starving for want of Aid that is sitting unused in warehouses - her spirit and her heart are divided, too.
Both readings today struck me, in this state of mind, as reminding me of how we all fall short. Whether we are not Listening to the voice that calls us beloved, or we are not loving our neighbors: "...house will fall against house", or we are hardening our hearts in fear (as I fear that I am), we are falling short of God's desires for us. So the best I can do is to first, heed the gentle command of the Responsorial Psalm:" If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts", and then second, to trust in God's invitation of the listed Verse: "...return to me with your whole heart, for I am gracious and merciful."
I pray today that my frustrations, anger, broken heart and anguished spirit can be softened and healed by our loving God, if I but stop and listen, and allow my God to enter in. May we each find space amid the madness for God's presence and peace, today and every day. Amen. (Grassmeyer, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “God's help for our complete conversion,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"When we transform our old life and give our spirit a new image, we find it very hard and tiring to turn back from the darkness of earthly passions to the serene calm of the divine light. We must ask God to help us that a complete conversion may be brought about in us." (excerpt from Commentary on Psalm 6,5) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Jeremiah 7:23-28 comments that few of us will ever experience hardships as difficult as Jeremiah’s, but we can still feel as if our efforts to serve God are useless. Maybe our attempts to convince one of our adult children to return to Mass go unheeded. Maybe our contributions to our parish Bible study or small group appear to bear little fruit. Or maybe our persistent prayer for an ailing relative seems to go unanswered.
Don’t give up! Like Jeremiah, you might not see the full effects of your actions right now, but they are still making a difference. Your ability to persevere and overcome obstacles with grace and humility may be quietly inspiring someone else to turn to the Lord. Your example of prayerful faith might be gradually softening a resistant heart.
One more thing: regardless of the fruit you may or may not be seeing right now, know that the Lord sees your efforts. He sees your devotion to him. And he rejoices in it. He will honor your work for him—even, like Jeremiah, in ways and places you can’t even imagine now!
“Father, give me the same perseverance you gave to your prophet Jeremiah!” (Meditation on Jeremiah 7:23-28, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes the condemnation by Jeremiah of the conduct of the people of Israel who have turned against God and the reference to punishment to bring them back. Jesus refers to Beelzebul, the “Lord of the Flies” as he drives out demons in Luke’s Gospel. Friar Jude reminds us of the Jewish teaching technique of searching for the truth between two opposite assertions.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces community activist Rosemarie Freeney Harding (1930–2004) who describes her experience of contemplative awareness—what she calls “the Light”—and how it sustained her throughout her life. Freeney Harding honors numerous paths that can lead to the deepened spiritual grounding that “the Light” provides:
I do believe that whole experience put me on a path. And the Light stayed with me a long time. It gave me a sense of security and deep internal connectedness to God, I would say. All these journeys I’ve been on, these spiritual practices and traditions—from the Mennonites to Bawa Muhaiyaddeen and the Dalai Lama—the meditation, the prayers; I’ve been trying to sustain what the Light gave me. What it awakened and showed me. I guess that’s what the definition of “spirituality” is for me: whatever sustains us like the Light sustained me for years. Is it similar to the Light? Is it the Light? (Rohr, n.d.)
We ponder the frustration of Jeremiah and the challenge in the Gospel as we implore the Spirit to guide us through the experience of opposition to our mission of love, hope, and faith in Providence.
References
Grassmeyer, K. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/032725.html
Jeremiah, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/7?23
Luke, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/11?14
Meditation on Jeremiah 7:23-28. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/03/27/1235634/
Psalms, PSALM 95 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/95?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). A Light That Sustains. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-light-that-sustains/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). God's Kingdom Has Come upon You. Daily Scripture Net. Retrieved March 27, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=mar27
No comments:
Post a Comment