Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop
or Saint Peter Julian Eymard
Biographical Information about St. Eusebius of Vercelli
Biographical Information about St. Peter Julian Eymard
Readings for Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24
The story of Jeremiah’s persecution is continued after he first prophesied in the Temple that if the people did not turn away from their sinful practices, God would destroy the kingdom of Judah including the temple. Here the leaders of the community try to have him put to death.
In the face of this angry mob, the prophet repeats the essence of the prophecy (repent so the Lord will not punish them) and then reminds them that it was not on his own that he came to them but as a servant, a prophet of God who commanded him. If they put him to death they were committing an offense against the law. They were finally convinced (in the omitted verses, 17-23 the example of the Prophet Micah, who also predicted dire consequences was used.) and we are told Ahikam came to his defense. “Ahikam, son of Shaphan: one of Josiah's officials (2 Kings 22:12) and father of Gedaliah, Jeremiah's friend, who was governor of Judah after Zedekiah's deportation (cf Jeremiah 39:14; 40:5-7).”[3]
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Psalm 69 is a lament (also continued from the previous day) in which the psalmist sings of being unjustly persecuted and calls on God’s saving help. The faith in God’s mercy is reflected in the confidence of the psalmist as in the final strophe the poor are reassured of His kindness.
Gospel Matthew 14:1-12
In this passage, recalling the manner of the death of John the Baptist, Herod unwittingly predicts Jesus future glory as he assumes the Lord is John the Baptist raised from the dead. His guilt over the murder of John wears heavily on him.
In St. Matthew’s account of the murder of John the Baptist we not that there is a much more detailed explanation than that found in the Gospel of St. Mark (Mark 6:14ff). We also see that according to St. Matthew, the murder of St. John was the intent of Herod from the beginning where St. Mark’s Gospel infers it was Herodias.
Reflection:
If we were to put a big caption over the readings from scripture today it might say “The Prophet Jeremiah averts execution – St. John the Baptist does not.” We could also shorten the caption with a condensed phrase that reads simply “Do God’s work at your own risk.” We can also look at these two instruments of God and see something even deeper.
Jeremiah was a prophet, a great prophet sent by God to call the people of his day to repentance. In spite of the gift God gave them through Moses, the gift of the Law and the covenantal relationship that went along with their acceptance of the Law, the children of Israel were constantly testing that bond with the Lord. They came into the region a nomadic people who had wandered in the parched land between Egypt and the Jordan for forty years. When they came into the “Promised Land” there were other inhabitants with different customs worshiping different gods. The Law took a terrible beating as these societies came together and much of what we hear from the prophets is an attempt to bring the people back to the Law from the influences of the more corrupt practices of these other populations.
Jeremiah was outspoken in his attack on these excesses, even to the point of standing in the courtyard of the Temple and telling the worshipers (including those who led them) that God was displeased and that if they did not repent there would be repercussions - God would destroy even the Temple. It is not surprising that the leadership wanted him put to death. What was surprising to those of us who are more familiar with the stories of Jesus and St. John the Baptist was the fact that he was not put to death.
or Saint Peter Julian Eymard
Biographical Information about St. Eusebius of Vercelli
Biographical Information about St. Peter Julian Eymard
Readings for Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24
The story of Jeremiah’s persecution is continued after he first prophesied in the Temple that if the people did not turn away from their sinful practices, God would destroy the kingdom of Judah including the temple. Here the leaders of the community try to have him put to death.
In the face of this angry mob, the prophet repeats the essence of the prophecy (repent so the Lord will not punish them) and then reminds them that it was not on his own that he came to them but as a servant, a prophet of God who commanded him. If they put him to death they were committing an offense against the law. They were finally convinced (in the omitted verses, 17-23 the example of the Prophet Micah, who also predicted dire consequences was used.) and we are told Ahikam came to his defense. “Ahikam, son of Shaphan: one of Josiah's officials (2 Kings 22:12) and father of Gedaliah, Jeremiah's friend, who was governor of Judah after Zedekiah's deportation (cf Jeremiah 39:14; 40:5-7).”[3]
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 69:15-16, 30-31, 33-34
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Psalm 69 is a lament (also continued from the previous day) in which the psalmist sings of being unjustly persecuted and calls on God’s saving help. The faith in God’s mercy is reflected in the confidence of the psalmist as in the final strophe the poor are reassured of His kindness.
Gospel Matthew 14:1-12
In this passage, recalling the manner of the death of John the Baptist, Herod unwittingly predicts Jesus future glory as he assumes the Lord is John the Baptist raised from the dead. His guilt over the murder of John wears heavily on him.
In St. Matthew’s account of the murder of John the Baptist we not that there is a much more detailed explanation than that found in the Gospel of St. Mark (Mark 6:14ff). We also see that according to St. Matthew, the murder of St. John was the intent of Herod from the beginning where St. Mark’s Gospel infers it was Herodias.
Reflection:
If we were to put a big caption over the readings from scripture today it might say “The Prophet Jeremiah averts execution – St. John the Baptist does not.” We could also shorten the caption with a condensed phrase that reads simply “Do God’s work at your own risk.” We can also look at these two instruments of God and see something even deeper.
Jeremiah was a prophet, a great prophet sent by God to call the people of his day to repentance. In spite of the gift God gave them through Moses, the gift of the Law and the covenantal relationship that went along with their acceptance of the Law, the children of Israel were constantly testing that bond with the Lord. They came into the region a nomadic people who had wandered in the parched land between Egypt and the Jordan for forty years. When they came into the “Promised Land” there were other inhabitants with different customs worshiping different gods. The Law took a terrible beating as these societies came together and much of what we hear from the prophets is an attempt to bring the people back to the Law from the influences of the more corrupt practices of these other populations.
Jeremiah was outspoken in his attack on these excesses, even to the point of standing in the courtyard of the Temple and telling the worshipers (including those who led them) that God was displeased and that if they did not repent there would be repercussions - God would destroy even the Temple. It is not surprising that the leadership wanted him put to death. What was surprising to those of us who are more familiar with the stories of Jesus and St. John the Baptist was the fact that he was not put to death.
The difference between St. John the Baptist and Jeremiah is in their underlying missions. While Jeremiah was sent by God (chosen in the womb as was St. John) to call the people to repentance, St. John’s mission was different. “How could that be?” We might ask. They both were called, they both called the people of their day to repent and turn back to God. They both were outspoken in defying authority. But St. John’s mission was to make a path for Christ. While Jeremiah invited the people back, St. John invited them to see the love of God expressed in His Only Son. Where Jeremiah was spared from execution, St. John prefigured Christ in all things, including death.
We take the stories of these two great figures from our heritage to heart. They remind us that we too must be wary of outside influences and remain steadfast in our adherence to God’s Law. We are also reminded that when we take the word of God to others, while we may not face the level of persecution our forbearers did, we should expect resistance. It is not an easy path we are called to follow.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used is “Salome Presented with the Head of St. John the Baptist” (detail) by Leonaert Bramer, c.1630
[3] See NAB footnote on Jeremiah 26:24
We take the stories of these two great figures from our heritage to heart. They remind us that we too must be wary of outside influences and remain steadfast in our adherence to God’s Law. We are also reminded that when we take the word of God to others, while we may not face the level of persecution our forbearers did, we should expect resistance. It is not an easy path we are called to follow.
Pax
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used is “Salome Presented with the Head of St. John the Baptist” (detail) by Leonaert Bramer, c.1630
[3] See NAB footnote on Jeremiah 26:24
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