Forgiveness and Persecution

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to seek forgiveness for our shortcomings even as we pursue our mission to share the mercy and love of Christ in an environment that may reject our efforts.

Forgive our Persecution

In the reading from the Book of Genesis, Joseph’s Brothers plea for forgiveness after the death of Joseph.

* [50:15–26] The final reconciliation of the brothers. Fearful of what may happen after the death of their father, the brothers engage in a final deception, inventing the dying wish of Jacob. Again, Joseph weeps, and, again, his brothers fall down before him, offering to be his slaves (44:16, 33). Joseph’s assurance is also a summation of the story: “Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve this present end, the survival of many people” (v. 20). Joseph’s adoption of the children of Manasseh’s son Machir recalls Jacob’s adoption of his grandchildren (48:5, 13–20); the adoptions reflect tribal history (cf. Jgs 5:14). (Genesis, CHAPTER 50 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 105 is a hymn to God recalling God’s promises.

* [Psalm 105] A hymn to God who promised the land of Canaan to the holy people, cf. Ps 78; 106; 136. Israel is invited to praise and seek the presence of God (Ps 105:1–6), who is faithful to the promise of land to the ancestors (Ps 105:7–11). In every phase of the national story—the ancestors in the land of Canaan (Ps 105:12–15), Joseph in Egypt (Ps 105:16–22), Israel in Egypt (Ps 105:23–38), Israel in the desert on the way to Canaan (Ps 105:39–45)—God remained faithful, reiterating the promise of the land to successive servants. (Psalms, PSALM 105 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus implores us to have Courage Under Persecution.

* [10:25] Beelzebul: see Mt 9:34 for the charge linking Jesus with “the prince of demons,” who is named Beelzebul in Mt 12:24. The meaning of the name is uncertain; possibly, “lord of the house.”

* [10:26] The concealed and secret coming of the kingdom is to be proclaimed by them, and no fear must be allowed to deter them from that proclamation.

* [10:32–33] In the Q parallel (Lk 12:8–9), the Son of Man will acknowledge those who have acknowledged Jesus, and those who deny him will be denied (by the Son of Man) before the angels of God at the judgment. Here Jesus and the Son of Man are identified, and the acknowledgment or denial will be before his heavenly Father. (Matthew, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Kathy Kemler comments that in Christian life we are busy caring for others…children, parents, our ministries, being women and men for others, but we are called to more.

We are called to receive God’s love.  It’s one reason why I love to go outside during the day. I look at the sky, the trees, a flower and my thoughts immediately turn to God and I am reminded of God’s love and how God is speaking to me through nature.  That in turn reminds me to think about how God has given me something that day and to take a moment to look back and see what it was.  It’s like a micro-Examen as it only takes a moment and I can reflect about that in walking from one building to the next. Then I can whisper a word of thanks. (Kemler, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Do not bewail death - but sin,” by Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD).

"The gospel is life. Impiety and infidelity are the death of the soul. So then, if the soul can die, how then is it yet immortal? Because there is always a dimension of life in the soul that can never be extinguished. And how does it die? Not in ceasing to be life but by losing its proper life. For the soul is both life to something else, and it has it own proper life. Consider the order of the creatures. The soul is the life of the body. God is the life of the soul. As the life that is the soul is present with the body, that the body may not die, so the life of the soul (God) ought to be with the soul that it may not die."

"How does the body die? By the departure of the soul. I say, by the departure of the soul the body dies, and it lies there as a mere carcass, what was a little before a lively, not a contemptible, object. There are in it still its several members, the eyes and ears. But these are merely the windows of the house; its inhabitant is gone. Those who bewail the dead cry in vain at the windows of the house. There is no one there within it to hear... Why is the body dead? Because the soul, its life, is gone. But at what point is the soul itself dead? When God, its life, has forsaken it... This then we can know and hold for certain: the body is dead without the soul, and the soul is dead without God. Every one without God has a dead soul. You who bewail the dead rather should bewail sin. Bewail ungodliness. Bewail disbelief." (excerpt from SERMON 65.5-7) (Schwager, n.d.)

In the Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 49:29-32; 50:15-26 Jesus tells his disciples—three times—“Do not be afraid” (Matthew 10:26, 28, 31). They are about to head out on their first missionary journey, so he reassures them that his Father will protect them and care for their needs. Even though they are weak and sinful disciples, just like the rest of us, God loves them deeply and will not turn his back on them. Even if they were to fail in their mission, he will continue to love them.

Don’t be afraid! Let Jesus reassure you that nothing you can do or say could ever cause him to reject you. No matter what you are concerned about, he is always ready to run out and embrace you with his overflowing love and mercy.

“Thank you, Jesus, for loving me so completely!”(Meditation on Genesis 49:29-32; 50:15-26, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that in the Genesis passage Jacob has come down to Egypt and asks to be buried in the tomb of Isaac and Sarah. When he dies the brothers fear Joseph will punish the, but he leaves punishment to God and seeks similar burial. Jesus said the apostles will suffer but God will protect them. Trust in Providence to provide the needs of their mission. In persecution, trust in the help of God. Friar Jude reminds us of the “martyrdom of pinpricks” through which God sees this as an opportunity for grace transformed by love. 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces theologian Megan McKenna who reflects on the tale of Jonah as a modern-day parable of repentance. Jonah was so angry at YHWH’s mercy that he wanted to die, knowing that the turn of events would ruin his credibility at home!… YHWH rebuked him, expressing [God’s] concern for the people of Nineveh.

What if [Christians in the United States were sent] a Buddhist prophet who lamented our insistence on the right to manufacture and keep on “ready-alert status” millions of nuclear weapons, defense missile systems, radioactive and depleted uranium bullets, and land mines? What if the prophet declared that our weapons and our covert low-intensity war policies at home and around the world were destroying any possibility of world harmony and that within forty days we would all be destroyed? Suddenly Jonah’s position isn’t so laughable but is, rather, worthy of a serious call to examine our national conscience. (Rohr, n.d.) 

 

We are in a time where persecution and forgiveness are very present in our society and we need to invoke the Spirit as our guide to action as sheep among wolves.

References

Genesis, CHAPTER 50 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 12, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/50 

Kemler, K. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved July 12, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-july-12-2025 

Matthew, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 12, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/10?24 

Meditation on Genesis 49:29-32; 50:15-26. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved July 12, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/07/12/1330043/ 

Psalms, PSALM 105 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 12, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/105?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 12, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/jonah-and-gods-scandalous-mercy-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 12, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jul12 

 

Seeing like the Shepherd

 

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to rest in a meditation about our relationship with the Good Shepherd and the sheep of His flock with whom we interact everyday.

Seeing like the Shepherd

 

The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews contains a paraenesis and a Benediction for us.

* [13:20–21] These verses constitute one of the most beautiful blessings in the New Testament. The resurrection of Jesus is presupposed throughout Hebrews, since it is included in the author’s frequently expressed idea of his exaltation, but this is the only place where it is explicitly mentioned.1

 

Psalm 23 creates strong images of the Divine Shepherd.

* [Psalm 23] God’s loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the figures of a shepherd for the flock (Ps 23:1–4) and a host’s generosity toward a guest (Ps 23:5–6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of the exodus (Is 40:11; 49:10; Jer 31:10).2

 

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is spiritually feeding the five thousand who are like sheep without a shepherd.

* [6:31–34] The withdrawal of Jesus with his disciples to a desert place to rest attracts a great number of people to follow them. Toward this people of the new exodus Jesus is moved with pity; he satisfies their spiritual hunger by teaching them many things, thus gradually showing himself the faithful shepherd of a new Israel; cf. Nm 27:17; Ez 34:15.3 

Nancy Shirley comments that while the notion of sheep is not always embraced as a positive one, in these readings the key is the relationship between the sheep and the great shepherd. The first reading encourages us to obey and defer to leaders. This may be met with resistance by many, particularly those of my generation who were “programmed” to reject the Establishment.

I think it is important to understand this context – I do not believe it is about blind following of authority.  Rather, it is about following a right and justice leader – one who truly watches over us and has responsibility for our well-being.  This leader will be held accountable for leading us in the way of the righteous.  The reading also urges us to share our blessings, doing good and sacrificing at times.  The great shepherd is there to support us and provide us with “all that is good” that we become the face of Jesus to others.  There is the expectation that we are the hands and feet of the Lord, that our actions/our lives will glorify Him.4

 

  Don Schwager quotes “The good shepherd feeds us with the words of God,” by Saint Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The pastures that this good shepherd has prepared for you, in which he has settled you for you to take your fill, are not various kinds of grasses and green things, among which some are sweet to the taste, some extremely bitter, which as the seasons succeed one another are sometimes there and sometimes not. Your pastures are the words of God and his commandments, and they have all been sown as sweet grasses. These pastures had been tasted by that man who said to God, 'How sweet are your words to my palate, more so than honey and the honeycomb in my mouth!' (Psalm 119:103)."(excerpt from Sermon 366.3)5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Mark 6:30-34 notes it is especially important to our life of faith to spend time now and then simply resting with the Lord. The late Cardinal Hans Urs Von Balthasar, in his book Prayer, described it this way: “Harassed by life, exhausted, we look about us for somewhere to be quiet, to be genuine, a place of refreshment . . . [where we can] restore our spirits in God, to simply let go in him and gain new strength to go on living”.

To simply let go in him can be the hard part. As we try to be quiet before the Lord, most of us find a to-do list forming almost instantly in our minds. Or we begin to experience guilt pangs over things undone. Let those go. Instead, breathe deeply and let the tension drain away. Then try to picture Jesus present with you. If music helps keep your thoughts on the Lord, play something in the background. But don’t be afraid of long stretches of silence. Good friends often sit together silently enjoying each other’s company, not needing to say anything to one another.6 

Friar Jude Winkler notes the continuation of a paraenesis in Hebrews along with a prayer to be united with the Good Shepherd. There are mosaics in Rome that depict Jesus as both the Sheep and the Shepherd. Friar Jude reminds us of the need to find balance with rest to offset those times of lengthy dedication to work.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that we come from a very ancient, human-based, natural, biological, universally experienced understanding of God. God’s eternal mystery cannot be captured or controlled, but only received and shared as freely as the breath itself—the thing we have done since the moment we were born and will one day cease to do in this body. God is as available and accessible as our breath itself. Jesus breathes the Spirit into us as the very air of life (see John 20:22)! Our job is simply to both receive and give this life-breath. We cannot only inhale, and we cannot only exhale. We must breathe in and out, accept and let go. Take several minutes to pause and breathe mindfully, surrendering to the mystery of wordless air, the sustainer of life. Part your lips; relax your jaw and tongue. Hear the air flow in and out of your body:

 

Inhale: YH

Exhale: WH

Let your breathing in and out, for the rest of your life, be your prayer to—and from—such a living and utterly shared God. You will not need to prove it to anybody else, nor can you. Just keep breathing with full consciousness and without resistance, and you will know what you need to know.7 

As we encounter other sheep, we may find the pause to breathe the Spirit in and out will open us to see them as children or grandchildren of ours and the Good Shepherd.

 

References

1	(n.d.). Hebrews, CHAPTER 13 | USCCB. Retrieved February 6, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/13
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 23 | USCCB. Retrieved February 6, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/23
3	(n.d.). Mark, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. Retrieved February 6, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/6
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - Online .... Retrieved February 6, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/020621.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved February 6, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2021&date=feb6
6	(n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved February 6, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/02/06/180741/
7	(2020, January 26). Knowing and Not Knowing Archives — Center for Action and .... Retrieved February 6, 2021, from https://cac.org/themes/knowing-and-not-knowing/