Pastor of the Panhandle
Friday, April 02, 2004
Reflection #12
JMJ
V: Our help is in the name of the Lord. / Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
R: Who made heaven and earth. / Qui fecit caelum et terram.
Scripture: Jeremiah 20:7-13
You duped me, O LORD, and I let myself be duped; you were too strong for me, and you triumphed. All the day I am an object of laughter; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I must cry out, violence and outrage is my message; The word of the LORD has brought me derision and reproach all the day. I say to myself, I will not mention him, I will speak in his name no more. But then it becomes like fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones; I grow weary holding it in, I cannot endure it. Yes, I hear the whisperings of many: "Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!" All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. "Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him." But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, For he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!
Reflection:
In the coming days, the readings at Holy Mass will communicate a palpable sense of treachery and betrayal. Such is the case with today's Scripture selection, from the first reading of the Mass of the day.
Clearly the prophet is bemoaning the hardship that God's word has brought him. He is a mockery to the people of his time. He is scorned and rejected. He hears the plotting and whispering of loose tongues. And he wants to throw in the towel. Take this word from me, Lord, he wants to cry out. It is too much for me. I am a laughingstock. I can't possibly complete the noble task that your word demands, O Lord.
Do we not all know such despair? Haven't we met dryness and the desire to give up in the Lenten desert? And perhaps we can even claim that our faith and our Lenten practices have brought us mockery from those whose ears are closed, both within and without the household of the Faith.
But to pick up an even deeper spiritual lesson, why not acknowledge the whisperings and the words of betrayal echoing in our own hearts? That is, the disordered inclinations of our fallen nature that whisper to us in the depths of the heart. Don't you hear them while you try to pray? Don't they tell you that none of this is worth it? Don't they suggest ending this show that can be our feeble attempts at fidelity? "Denounce! Let us denounce Him!" Oh, there is plenty of silly talk on the outside, yes. But there is enough inside too.
As we move to the climax of our annual recollection (and making present) of the Lord's passion and death, may we strive to see our sacrifices, penances, and spiritual renewal to their end: our sanctification! Our spiritual disciplines have been an opportunity to remove several voices from the mix -- little voices that distract us and eat up our time, convincing us that we can't do without the things of this world. And with those voices removed, we hear more acutely the other voices that are slow to leave, the ones that are the "ring leaders", so to speak. These are the ones that mask their presence by so many little distractions. These are the voices of pride, selfishness, lust, anger, gluttony -- the whole deadly bunch.
And to the sanctuary of the soul God sends His all powerful, and wholly complete Word. And suddenly the voices of the fallen nature are muted and transformed, or chased away to the destruction they desire!
Responsory: (adapted from Psalm 18)
V. Praised be the Lord, I am safe from my enemies.
The cords of the nether world enmeshed me.
V. Praised be the Lord, I am safe from my enemies.
In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried out to my God.
V. Praised be the Lord, I am safe from my enemies.
Our Father.
Hail Mary.
Glory be.
Blessing:
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. / Dominus nos benedicat, et ab omni malo defendat, et ad vitam perducat aeternam. Amen.
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Reflection #11
JMJ
V: Our help is in the name of the Lord. / Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini.
R: Who made heaven and earth. / Qui fecit caelum et terram.
Scripture: Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95
King Nebuchadnezzar said: "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up."
King Nebuchadnezzar's face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace.
Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" "Assuredly, O king," they answered. "But," he replied, "I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God." Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God."
Reflection:
The notion of a state protected right of religious freedom would have been unheard of for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The only religious freedom they could latch on to was the freedom that comes from surmounting threats, mistreatment and attacks to remain faithful to God. And perhaps that is the truest form of freedom.
How petty our problems seem! Try extracting much sympathy from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego due to the problems we face. When things don't go our way, when we have been offended... No doubt, few of us can claim much room to complain given the dire situation these three young men found themselves in. They were being given an opportunity to worship the king's false god, or face certain death. Certainly, in the midst of life's storms, we feel consumed by our problems. The difficulties that come to every life can seem to lick at our well-being, as if we ourselves are fuel for the furnace. Yet, most likely, being thrown into a white hot furnace is a threat we have not and will not face.
What an example of faith the three young men provide for us! When faced with certain death, they will not defy their God. And, perhaps even more remarkable, they realize that remaining faithful to God may not save them from the destruction the king's power can bring about. And yet they remain faithful! After hearing the king's death threat, the three young men respond, "If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god." Even the sober recognition that their faith in God and their fidelity may not save them from earthly torment, does not sway these godly servants. They even yield their bodies rather than turn to a false god. May it be so with us! And may we remember God's presence even when -- especially when -- the things of this life are out of our control. Perhaps then, more souls will be led to worship the True God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Responsory: (adapted from Daniel 3, and the gospel verse)
V. Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart.
V. Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Blessed are they who yield a harvest through perseverance.
V. Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Our Father.
Hail Mary.
Glory be.
Blessing:
May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. / Dominus nos benedicat, et ab omni malo defendat, et ad vitam perducat aeternam. Amen.
