The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today alert us to the truth that our fullness of life is achieved to the extent that we attend to the Mission of love and mercy presented to us by the Prince of Peace.
The Reading from the Prophet Baruch declares a Confession of Guilt for the returned exiles.
* [1:15–2:10] This confession of sin is similar to Dn 9:7–14, and echoes ideas from Deuteronomy and Jeremiah; cf. also Neh 9. (Baruch, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 79 is a communal lament following the destruction of Jerusalem.
* [Psalm 79] A communal lament complaining that the nations have defiled the Temple and murdered the holy people, leaving their corpses unburied (Ps 79:1–4). The occasion is probably the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army in 587 B.C. The people ask how long the withdrawal of divine favor will last (Ps 79:5), pray for action now (Ps 79:6–7), and admit that their own sins have brought about the catastrophe (Ps 79:8–9). They seek to persuade God to act for reasons of honor: the nations who do not call upon the Name are running amok (Ps 79:6); the divine honor is compromised (Ps 79:1, 10, 12); God’s own servants suffer (Ps 79:2–4, 11). (Psalms, PSALM 79, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus declares Reproaches to Unrepentant Towns.
* [10:13–16] The call to repentance that is a part of the proclamation of the kingdom brings with it a severe judgment for those who hear it and reject it.
* [10:15] The netherworld: the underworld, the place of the dead (Acts 2:27, 31) here contrasted with heaven; see also note on Mt 11:23. (Luke, CHAPTER 10, n.d.)
Carol Zuegner comments that like the people in the towns that Jesus speaks of, we aren’t paying attention. That attention can spread beyond the formal prayers we say. One of my favorite Jesuit charisms is to find God in all things. That means in the beauty of nature, the sorrow of a friend fighting cancer, the chance to help someone, or offer a smile or a word of encouragement.
We don’t intend to ignore God in all things. We just get wrapped up in things and ourselves. We are tired, sometimes frustrated, worried, uncertain, and afraid. But we can start our day with intention, to pay attention to those small blessings that we all experience but sometimes barely notice. A sip of hot coffee. A friend who is glad to see us. The sunshine or the respite of a cloudy day. We can find God in all things. We just have to pay attention. (Baruch, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Christ speaks through the disciples,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).
"Christ gives those who love instruction the assurance that whatever is said concerning him by the holy apostles or evangelists is to be received necessarily without any doubt and to be crowned with the words of truth. He who hears them, hears Christ. For the blessed Paul also said, 'You desire proof that Christ is speaking in me' (2 Corinthians 13:3). Christ himself somewhere also said to the holy disciples, 'For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaks in you' (Matthew 10:20). Christ speaks in them by the consubstantial Spirit. If it is true, and plainly it is, that they speak by Christ, how can they err? He affirms that he who does not hear them, does not hear Christ, and that he who rejects them rejects Christ, and with him the Father."(excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 63) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Baruch 1:15-22 comments that we need to yield to the Spirit so that he can use these consequences to soften our hearts. Then we can cooperate with his grace as we cast off our selfish desires and our ways of thinking and acting that go against his word. With the Spirit’s help, we can choose to put away our pride and give the Lord authority over our lives. And when we do, we discover the Spirit’s power to transform us, fill us with his joy, and strengthen us to live in holiness.
I
t’s amazing, isn’t it? Not even our most tragic sins can stop the Lord from loving us. He’s just waiting for us to turn to him in repentance, as Baruch did, so that he can teach us, forgive us, and heal us.
“Jesus, give me a humble and contrite heart so that I can be set free!” (Meditation on Baruch 1:15-22, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler recalls Baruch was likely the secretary of Jeremiah. We hear the exiles recognizing their sinfulness with a penitential liturgy and acceptance that exile was their own fault. Psalm 51 asserts we can’t do it alone. We need the grace of conversion to recognize our needs. Jesus calls a mild curse on the Jewish cities that ignored Him. The pagan cities will be rewarded. Jesus asserts that to be superior they have to surrender. Friar Jude cites the great gifts given Christians and recalls “with great gifts comes great responsibility”, attributed to Uncle Ben as advice to the young Peter Parker, Spiderman. We have an obligation to use our great gifts.
Fr. Mike Schmitz reads from Nehemiah today and we hear about how the hearts of the people of Israel were moved as Ezra reads the book of the law of Moses to them. In our reading of Esther, we have the beginning of the crisis that will unfold throughout the book as Haman, backed by the king, seeks to destroy the Jews. Today’s readings are Nehemiah 8, Esther 3 and 13, and Proverbs 21:5-8.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, explores how Francis of Assisi understood the meaning of words like “sin” and “penance”.
Francis’ phrase, “left the world,” didn’t mean leaving creation. It meant leaving what we might call the “system.” Francis left business as usual, and he began an alternative lifestyle, which at that time was called “a life of penance” or abandoning the system. He decided to focus on alleviating the needs and the suffering of others instead of self-advancement. Most of our decisions are usually based on personal, egoic preference and choice. This is the life that we are called to “leave,” the self that Jesus says must “die” to fall into our Larger Life or True Self. Freedom for both Jesus and Francis was purely and simply freedom from the self, which is precisely freedom for the world. This is so utterly different than our Western notion of freedom. In order to be free for a full and authentic life, we must quite simply be free from our smaller selves.
Francis knew that Jesus was not at all interested in the usual “sin management” task that many clergy seem to think is their job. He saw that Jesus was neither surprised nor upset at what we usually call sin. Jesus was upset at human pain and suffering. What else do all the healing stories mean? They are half of the Gospels! Jesus did not focus on sin. Jesus went where the pain was. Wherever he found human pain, there he went, there he touched, and there he healed. (Rohr, n.d.)
We implore the guidance of the Spirit as we contemplate the action that aligns us with the Mission we acquire in our Baptismal Anointing as priest, prophet, and leader.
References
Baruch, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved October 3, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/baruch/1?15
Luke, CHAPTER 10. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 3, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/10?13
Meditation on Baruch 1:15-22. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved October 3, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/10/03/1399938/
Psalms, PSALM 79. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved October 3, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/79?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Freedom for a Fuller Life. CAC.org. Retrieved October 3, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/freedom-for-a-fuller-life/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). He Who Hears You Hears Me. Daily Scripture Net. Retrieved October 3, 2028, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=oct3
Zuegner, C. (2025, October 3). Daily Reflection October 3, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved October 3, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-october-3-2025
No comments:
Post a Comment