Stiff Necks of Division

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.

Division is not Divine

The reading from the Prophet Jeremiah condemns Abuses in Worship.

o. [7:23] Jer 11:4; Lv 26:3, 12.

p. [7:24] Jer 17:23.

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 

Assurance and Conviction

 

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of the role of faith in God and in our fellow human beings in building our confidence and conviction.

Trust and the common good

 

The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews details the Faith of Abraham.

* [11:1–40] This chapter draws upon the people and events of the Old Testament to paint an inspiring portrait of religious faith, firm and unyielding in the face of any obstacles that confront it. These pages rank among the most eloquent and lofty to be found in the Bible. They expand the theme announced in Heb 6:12, to which the author now returns (Heb 10:39). The material of this chapter is developed chronologically. Heb 11:3–7 draw upon the first nine chapters of Genesis (Gn 1–9); Heb 11:8–22, upon the period of the patriarchs;1 

The response today is from the Canticle of Zechariah in Luke’s Gospel.

* [1:68–79] Like the canticle of Mary (Lk 1:46–55) the canticle of Zechariah is only loosely connected with its context. Apart from Lk 1:76–77, the hymn in speaking of a horn for our salvation (Lk 1:69) and the daybreak from on high (Lk 1:78) applies more closely to Jesus and his work than to John. Again like Mary’s canticle, it is largely composed of phrases taken from the Greek Old Testament and may have been a Jewish Christian hymn of praise that Luke adapted to fit the present context by inserting Lk 1:76–77 to give Zechariah’s reply to the question asked in Lk 1:66.2 

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus stills a storm.

* [4:41] Jesus is here depicted as exercising power over wind and sea. In the Christian community this event was seen as a sign of Jesus’ saving presence amid persecutions that threatened its existence.3 

Mike Cherney notes that the response, which we read today, rather than being a Psalm is from Luke’s Gospel. He had been basing, at one time, much of his prayer on the Liturgy of the Hours. His impression is that the author of the letter to the Hebrews was writing to show the outcome of trust in God rather than provide a dictionary definition of the word faith. The Gospel also brought back memories.

I consider how I respond to moments of losing all control of a situation. These moments give me some insight into my faith. I wish that I could say that I consistently responded with putting my doubts aside, but that has not always been the case. When my sister died at the age of 48 it was a clear blow to the faith that I had. When my daughter-in-law suffered heart failure after delivering twins it was a clear embracing of my faith.4

 

Don Schwager quotes “Awakening the Christ asleep within you,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"When you have to listen to abuse, that means you are being buffeted by the wind. When your anger is roused, you are being tossed by the waves. So when the winds blow and the waves mount high, the boat is in danger, your heart is imperiled, your heart is taking a battering. On hearing yourself insulted, you long to retaliate; but the joy of revenge brings with it another kind of misfortune - shipwreck. Why is this? Because Christ is asleep in you. What do I mean? I mean you have forgotten his presence. Rouse him, then; remember him, let him keep watch within you, pay heed to him... A temptation arises: it is the wind. It disturbs you: it is the surging of the sea. This is the moment to awaken Christ and let him remind you of those words: 'Who can this be? Even the winds and the sea obey him." (excerpt from Sermons 63:1-3)5

 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19 comments that like Abraham, we too need to keep listening for the voice of God and acting on it.

When you think you hear him, whether in the quiet of prayer, in the worship of Mass, or in the busyness of the day, stop and listen carefully. See if what you sense makes you peaceful or hopeful. See if it lines up with the Scriptures and the wisdom of the Church. If it does, follow through—whatever that may mean for you. And trust that God will continue to guide you.6 

Friar Jude Winkler relates faith to trust in God and shares that this trust is most difficult in times of persecution and loss. God knew the faith of Abraham but the testing of Isaac revealed the strength of Abraham’s faith to Abraham. Friar Jude reminds us of the second layer of the nature miracle on the Sea of Galilee showing Jesus triumph over demonic forces.

 

Patrick Riordan SJ, Senior Fellow for Political Philosophy and Catholic Social Thought at Campion Hall, University of Oxford, comments on work about the question of human goodness, innate or acquired, by David C. Rose in his book “Why Culture Matters Most”. In a large society, what motivates any person to behave in a way that benefits the common good when individual rationality might suggest that one is better off by not cooperating?

David Rose should have the last word: ‘… society gets the behaviour it wants not by forcing people to do or to not do things, but by instantiating values that incline them to want to do or not do what is best for society’ (166).7 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, suggests an exercise in contemplation using a traditional icon (or copy of one). That’s because they are lovingly created expressly for the purpose of prayer, and praying with one binds you to the great cloud of witnesses that have prayed with these images throughout history. The image is merely a window to God.

Gaze at the icon. Let your gaze be long and loving. Think of the icon as a mystical window in which you are on one side and God is on the other. Allow God to communicate with you by way of this image, but do not become anxious about how or when God may communicate. Simply continue to gaze and allow your heart to become still and open. End the contemplation with a prayer of gratitude.8

 

With the eyes of faith, we place our circumstances in the hands of a loving God and human companions and trust the outcome will move our lives closer to fullness as disciples of Christ.

 

References

 

1	(n.d.). Hebrews, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/11
2	(n.d.). Luke, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1
3	(n.d.). Mark, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/4
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online .... Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/013021.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2021&date=jan30
6	(n.d.). Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary - The Word Among Us. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/01/30/180679/
7	(2020, May 28). Heroic parents, because culture matters | Thinking Faith: The online .... Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/heroic-parents-because-culture-matters
8	(n.d.). The Three Domes — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 30, 2021, from https://cac.org/the-three-domes-2021-01-24/