-
Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel detail of the prophet Jeremiah
Aug. 19, 2020
Sister Maria Catherine Toon, OP
Scripture reflection for Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020“People think faith is a big electric blanket, when of course it is the cross.”
Flannery O’Connor
No prophet willingly undertakes the task of chastising the people of Israel, but grace propels Jeremiah forward like “fire burning” in his heart and “imprisoned” in his bones (Jeremiah 20:9), to preach to the princes of Judah.
Ancient Israelites relied on their prophets to understand if they were following the covenant; to be praised for their faithfulness but corrected and chastised for their sins. When war, famine, and pestilence struck, it was to these men and women that the Israelites would turn. Even the psalms lament that when there was not a prophet who was faithful to God’s word, there was no way to gauge how to make reparation to God or how long their misfortune would last (Psalm 74:9).
Even though Jeremiah is reviled for lamentation and woe, the Mass readings for today reference that Judah’s royalty in the Southern Kingdom continue to beg him to show them how to respond to foreign invaders. Jeremiah remains faithful and steadfast to what God reveals to him and urges Israel to repent of their idols and submit to the invasion. The Lord has made it clear to Judah: “You are reaping what you have sown, but I will save you if you are obedient!”
Today’s passage highlights the prophet’s frustration that his preaching does not seem to influence his hearers. If that is the case for Jeremiah, imagine the infinite patience of Jesus with Peter (and all of us), who sees life through a natural, logical lens, rather than God’s supernatural plan. In Matthew’s text today, Jesus is just breaths away from his passion, and utters this prophecy about his future to his disbelieving disciples. Just as Jeremiah is ignored, spurned, and corrected, so Peter does this to Jesus. It is a real teaching moment from Jesus to us: following God means that suffering awaits us, but glory will follow.
Although not all prophets are infallible, nor are we required to follow every person who claims a prophecy from God, God demonstrates that he “does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).
This gives added emphasis that Jesus reveals the future to his Apostles so that when prophesied events take place we will believe (John 14:29).
Though the canon of revelation closed with the death of the last Apostles, Jesus’ closest followers, the gift of prophecy still exists in the church. The church has investigated prophecies from Marian apparitions and the lives of many saints to better understand how Christ is calling us to live the Christian life in our times. These passages today remind us that we ignore the prophecies in Scripture and the tradition of the church to our peril. St. Paul believes that we should not “despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good” (1Thess 5:20-21). When commenting on the Fatima messages, even Pope Emeritus Benedict affirms that “in every age the Church has received the charism of prophecy, which must be scrutinized but not scorned.”
The world’s headlines make it clear that suffering is upon us. All of this is happening to strengthen our faith in God. “We walk by faith, not by sight”, St. Paul says. So, let’s ask the Lord for greater faith and clarity to see through the confusing events of our age, and trust that Jesus is asking us to persevere and join him in carrying the cross. May the Holy Spirit purify and convert our hearts so that we are not dismayed by any coming misfortunes but instead wait expectantly for his love.
Sister Maria Catherine is a perpetually professed member of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. She has a master’s in theology from Ave Maria University and teaches high school theology in Chicago.