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| “The Prophet Jeremiah” by Antoine Coypel, c.1700’s |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Jeremiah 26:1-9
Commentary on Jer 26:1-9
The opening comment in this selection sets the date of this incident at about 609 BC. Most scholars agree the narrative is from a third party (probably Baruch). The prophet causes a scandal in the Temple by calling on those who consider themselves devout to repent, and return to following the Law of Moses. According to Jeremiah, if they do not, the Lord’s anger will be unleashed against them and Judah will be decimated.
The specific mention of Shiloh is significant in that Shiloh was once a high place, central to the worship of Yahweh (see Joshua 18:1 and Judges 18:31), [4] but was destroyed, a reminder that God will not spare even places where he is worshiped if the people turn away from his desired path. As a result of this vitriolic discourse, Jeremiah is accused of blasphemy and seized by the leadership of the temple.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:5, 8-10, 14
R. (14c) Lord, in your great love, answer me.
Commentary on Ps 69:5, 8-10, 14
Psalm 69 is a lament in which the psalmist sings of being unjustly accused of crimes, and forced to make restitution. “The psalm, which depicts the suffering of the innocent just person vividly, is cited often by the New Testament especially in the passion accounts, e.g., Psalm 69:5 in John 15:25.” [5]
CCC: Ps 69:10 584
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Gospel: Matthew 13:54-58
Commentary on Mt 13:54-58
This story from Matthew’s Gospel focuses on the people most familiar with Jesus, the boy growing up among them. They are seeking the “Royal Messiah,” one coming with great power and majesty, and are disappointed because of the Lord’s familiar and humble beginnings. Matthew’s story tells us that because of their lack of faith, the Lord did not perform any signs in their midst, ending the passage with the often quoted “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house." (See also John 1:11; those who were overly familiar with Jesus could not place their faith in him.)
CCC: Mt 13:55 495, 500
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Reflection:
If we were very lucky growing up, when we came home from school or play, our mothers would be there to give us a snack, patch up our cuts and scrapes, or listen to our tales of triumph or woe. As children, we grew to expect them to be there; expected them to lend a sympathetic ear and a loving touch. Growing older we may have come to take that love and presence for granted. Mom was always there; we could forget about appreciating the fact that for her, our happiness and wellbeing were one of the most important things in her life. As we grew older still, we may have challenged her wisdom and even become antagonistic towards her. We may have thought “What does she know? We can take care of ourselves.”
This whole idea of taking something for granted – over-familiarity, is at the heart of what Jesus encounters in the Gospel. The people who knew him growing up could not accept what was being revealed about his true identity – the Messiah. They knew his parents and his extended family members. It is clear they did not know of his miraculous birth or the circumstances surrounding the Blessed Mother's conception or they would have behaved differently. They only knew Jesus, the carpenter’s son who had grown up in their midst. They were even upset by him. They saw him assuming authority they would not give him and they rejected him. We hear the Lord’s response, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house."
We take two different lessons from this encounter (and that of the Prophet Jeremiah as well). First, God’s message is not going to be popular with everyone. In fact, people closest to you, those who know you and know your failings, will find it difficult if not impossible to accept you if you adopt a Christ-centered lifestyle. Asking others to follow God can be a very unpopular thing to do.
A second lesson, and perhaps a more subtle one, is the pitfall of over-familiarity with sacred things and places. The challenge we often face with becoming disciplined in our faith is that the things we do: prayer, worship, acts of charity; these things can become routine and we can take them for granted. When that happens, we lose the grace God gives us in return for our dedication. It is like our mother’s love: if we have taken it for granted, we lose the wonder of it and much of the benefit we would otherwise derive from it.
In the face of the Gospel message we are given today our prayer is twofold. First we pray that we may always be fearless in proclaiming the Kingdom of God, even when that message is unwelcome and unpopular. And second, we pray that we will never become complacent in the love our Lord has for us nor will we take for granted the wondrous gifts he gives us with his infinite grace.
Pax
[1] The picture is
[4] McKenzie, John L., Dictionary of the Bible, Macmillan Publishing, 1965, p. 807.
[5] See NAB footnote on Psalm 69.
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