A Path of Transformation

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to be aware that some paths that we are led to by the Lord may test our faith and resolve as we follow Him.

A Path of Transformation

The Reading from the Prophet Jeremiah exhorts us to stay the course when our mission becomes challenging.

g. [20:10] Jb 19:19; Ps 31:13; Lk 20:20.

h. [20:11] Jer 1:8; 15:20.

i. [20:12] Jer 11:20.

j. [20:13] Ps 35:9–10; 109:30–31. (Jeremiah, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 18 is a royal thanksgiving for a military 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.)

The Gospel of John presents the hostility toward Jesus at the Feast of the Dedication

* [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.)

Edward Morse comments that God plays the long game. He remains steadfast with us when confronted with evil plans, even when those plans might seem to be succeeding. We may not know the end of the story, but we can depend upon eternal and enduring promises coming from One who is trustworthy.

Jesus “escaped from their power” and went to the place where John had been baptizing. That place, which some biblical scholars name “Bethabara”, was near the place where the Israelites had entered the promised land. It was also associated with the prophet Elijah, who had been taken up into heaven. It is fitting for our Lord to choose such a place to pray, where he would rely upon his own deep relationship with the Father to sustain him. His knowing that all would end well did not erase his difficulty in the midst of this experience. We should not expect to avoid such difficulties in our own struggles, even when we know that all will end well.

It is notable that others came to visit Jesus in that place because they had come to believe in him. Love overcomes the hostility that emerges from thin friendships of utility. Truth walks hand in hand with that kind of love, leading us toward God and away from the nonsense that can emerge from our own fractured demands for satisfaction. Let us ponder the depth and strength of that bond of love as we move forward toward Holy Week. Thanks be to God. (Morse, 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.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the Jeremiah passage reveals a plot against him that is connected to the disaster he prophecies actually occurring. They blamed Jeremiah who in the Confessions presents a challenge to God: where is your protection God? The passage leads to a hymn of trust and praise for the saving of the suffering that is sung as a lamentation. Jeremiah is perhaps mouthing pious platitudes. Jesus speaks of good works by the Son of God as He shows that If the Scripture can address people as gods why not proclaim himself as the Son of God. Friar Jude comments that the Gospel proclaims everything John the Baptist said was true as a confirmation of his witness to the Messiah.

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 10:31-42 comments that we are probably familiar with the stories about Jesus and the impressive miracles he worked in the Bible. But make no mistake, he is still working today.

These moments of grace come from God’s hands. The more of them you see for what they are, the more you will believe, especially when times of doubt or anxiety make your faith feel shaky. Set your eyes on Jesus—both on what he has done in the past and what he is doing right now. Believe, too, that he wants to work just as much in your life. If he kept trying to convince his “enemies,” why wouldn’t he work just as hard to help you know him better?

“Jesus, you bring miracles to life around me. Open my eyes to see your works and believe in you.” (Meditation on John 10:31-42, n.d.)

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Diana Butler Bass who recounts how she was challenged to read Psalm 23 through the eyes of those who face poverty, food insecurity, injustice, and marginalization. Read Robert Alter’s version—a modern translation noted by scholars for its precision—and the pivot sentence contrasts sharply: My life He brings back. He leads me on pathways of justice for His name’s sake.” [2]

Alter’s translation of Psalm 23:1–3 reads:

The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
In grass meadows
He makes me lie down,
by quiet waters guides me.
My life He brings back.
He leads me on pathways of justice
for His name’s sake.

Butler Bass emphasizes the call to share our restored lives with others for the sake of justice:

The psalmist proclaims, This is the reality of the Lord’s government, the beloved community, over and against all oppression and exploitation. Through it, we humans are restored to what was always intended: My life He brings back; Our lives He brings back.

The renewed life, however, does not remain content in grass meadows or by quiet waters…. Instead, those who are citizens of this sacred realm are called forth on pathways of justice to make God’s name—God’s sabbath reign—known throughout the world. (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the consolation of the Spirit as we learn by doing about our need to be transformed as we accept the invitation to walk with the Shepherd who brings back our lives.

References

Jeremiah, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/jeremiah/20? 

John, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/10?31 

Meditation on John 10:31-42. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/03/26/1526440/ 

Morse, E. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-march-27-2026 

Psalms, PSALM 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/18? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). A Psalm of Peace and Justice. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-psalm-of-peace-and-justice/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Am the Son of God. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved March 27, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Dynasty and Decision

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to awareness of the culture of control and false praise that lead us to poor decisions.

Constitutional Decisions

The Reading from the Book of Sirach presents David as a type of Greek hero.

* [47:1–11] An idealized portrait of David; cf. 1 Chronicles. (Sirach, CHAPTER 47 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 18 has two parallel reports of rescue and a conclusion.

* [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.)

The Gospel of Mark presents The Death of John the Baptist.

* [6:14–16] The various opinions about Jesus anticipate the theme of his identity that reaches its climax in Mk 8:27–30.

* [6:14] King Herod: see note on Mt 14:1.

* [6:17–29] Similarities are to be noted between Mark’s account of the imprisonment and death of John the Baptist in this pericope, and that of the passion of Jesus (Mk 15:1–47). Herod and Pilate, each in turn, acknowledges the holiness of life of one over whom he unjustly exercises the power of condemnation and death (Mk 6:26–27; 15:9–10, 14–15). The hatred of Herodias toward John parallels that of the Jewish leaders toward Jesus. After the deaths of John and of Jesus, well-disposed persons request the bodies of the victims of Herod and of Pilate in turn to give them respectful burial (Mk 6:29; 15:45–46).

* [6:19] Herodias: see note on Mt 14:3. (Mark, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Jay Carney comments that even though he does not wish to kill John, Herod fears losing honor among the “leading men of Galilee”; reneging on a boastful oath would undermine his social status as a political “big man”; his celebratory banquet reeks of ostentatious wealth. He created a social situation in which he had “no other choice” than to kill John the Baptist.

But this, of course, is a rationalization. Herod stood at the apex of a social structure of sin that could not tolerate the prophetic challenges of John the Baptist’s of the world. In my own life, I, too, can justify many things from the place where I stand, or the prestige I need to protect, or my fears of losing face in front of family, friends, or colleagues. But this does not vacate my ethical and spiritual responsibility. For Ignatius, we may not always act out of a God-centered interior freedom, but we are still responsible moral agents. (Carney, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The Weakness of the Tyrant and the Power of the Beheaded,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

"Note well the weakness of the tyrant compared to the power of the one in prison. Herod was not strong enough to silence his own tongue. Having opened it, he opened up countless other mouths in its place and with its help. As for John, he immediately inspired fear in Herod after his murder - for fear was disturbing Herod's conscience to such an extent that he believed John had been raised from the dead and was performing miracles (Mark 6:14-16)! In our own day and through all future time, throughout all the world, John continues to refute Herod, both through himself and through others. For each person repeatedly reading this Gospel says: 'It is not lawful for you to have the wife of Philip your brother' (Mark 6:18). And even apart from reading the Gospel, in assemblies and meetings at home or in the market, in every place... even to the very ends of the earth, you will hear this voice and see that righteous man even now still crying out, resounding loudly, reproving the evil of the tyrant. He will never be silenced nor the reproof at all weakened by the passing of time." (excerpt from ON THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD 22.8-9) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Sirach 47:2-11 comments that in the same way that the people of Israel used the psalms in both personal and liturgical prayer, we can use them in our daily prayer. When we turn away from God and need to ask for his mercy, prayers like Psalms 6 and 51 can help us to acknowledge our sin and offer us words to express our repentance to the Lord. And when we want to thank God and praise him for all his blessings, we can pray today’s psalm, for example, or any number of others that will inspire us to extol our faithful Lord.

So let the psalms inspire you with words of praise and thanksgiving. Let them fill your heart with the same joy that King David had. Today, you can join him and sing:

“Extolled be God my savior! (Psalm 18:47)” (Meditation on Sirach 47:2-11, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the theme of Sirach, written in the time when Greeks had conquered Israel. The traditions of Jews are presented as good as Greek traditions. and Jewish heroes were just as good too. Sirach speaks about the history of David trying to show a man of God. He avoids the sins that David had committed and as in Chronicles that tells history as it should have happened. King Herod tries to figure out who the Baptist is. John condemned the marriage of Herod and Herotius hated John the Baptist and sought the death of the Baptist. It is a warning to maintain the value of people over words. Friar Jude notes the disciples of John bury his body, but the “head” shows up in several places and a lot of things regarding “relics” are not as clear as they should be.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces The Francis Factor, and activist Shane Claiborne who told a story about how his community’s study of Jubilee and their unexpected receipt of $10,000 in a legal settlement led to a creative action on Wall Street. 

Let’s have a Jubilee party and let’s do it on Wall Street.” We invited a bunch of homeless folks from all over New York, many of them friends, and we said, “Hey, we’re going to go to Wall Street and we’re going to give away the money that we won in a lawsuit.

We preached it that morning and then Sister Margaret [a Catholic sister] announced the Jubilee, blew the ram’s horn, and money started pouring out everywhere. I mean, we had people on the balconies with paper money. They start pouring it out…. It was beautiful. They’re singing. This one … street sweeper, he’s got his dustpan filled with money. He’s like, “It is a good day at work. Hallelujah!” Another guy grabs some money off the street and he said, “Now I can get the prescription I needed. Thank you.” We even had folks from inside Wall Street that heard about what was happening. They said, “We heard that there’s more fun happening out here, so we’re here.” One guy just said, “I want to start getting bagels and giving them out,” and he did. It was contagious….

I think that in the end, our goal is not to create enemies but is actually to courageously proclaim the vision of God that is so big that everyone is welcome. But it also means, as Desmond Tutu says, that those who have been oppressed are free from oppression, and those who have done the oppressing are free from being the oppressor, that everyone is set free. [1] That’s the invitation for us. (Rohr, n.d.)

Catholic theologian David Deane talks with Jeff Douglas, on CBC Mainstreet, about why so many American Christians support US President Donald Trump in spite of his sins. Deane cites the Biblical King David as a source of the American belief that good can come from evil actions by our leaders.

We ask the Spirit to enhance our awareness of the paths of oppression, greed, and violence that may be subtle in our culture as we proclaim Jesus' love and freedom for all.

References

Carney, J. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved February 6, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-february-6-2026 

Mark, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 6, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/6? 

Meditation on Sirach 47:2-11. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved February 6, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/02/06/1495019/ 

Psalms, PSALM 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 6, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/18?31 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC.org. Retrieved February 6, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/jubilee-action-on-wall-street/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Herod's Guilty Conscience. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 6, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Sirach, CHAPTER 47 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved February 6, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/sirach/47?2