Matthew 13:54-58 They took offense at Him
“If you disobey me, not living according to the law I placed before you, I will treat this house like Shiloh, and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth shall refer when cursing another” (Jeremiah 26:1-9). How many of our common expressions, for good or evil, come from the Word of God. The term “doubting Thomas” is credited to St. Thomas. “Washing our hands clean”, to Pontius Pilate. Or, the “Good Samaritan Law” and “A leopard cannot change its spots.” The list goes on and on. Israel’s disobedience was leading her to become the center of jokes!
The LORD speaks to his prophet Jeremiah, angry that His people do not listen to him. Actions speak louder than words. Our actions have consequences that we cannot even fathom. How often do I think of the souls in which I was less charitable towards, or less inclined to give them my time or attention to, and the consequences - the loss of faith- that my actions may have produced? Our actions, in general, are a consequence of where the Word of the Lord stands in my life: head strong, neck strong (stiff-necked) or heart strong?
Christ arrives to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. But the Jews, instead of listening to him, were murmuring against him. “Is this not the carpenter’s son?” No, he is not! And if the people had taken the time to listen to him, understand him, learn from him and pray for him, they may have come out with the right conclusions. Instead, “they took offense at him” and some nasty consequences followed. This has been the history of the world, starting with Adam and ending with the New Adam.
“Lord in your great love, answer me” (Psalm 69). The answer I seek depends on what side I am on. Am I on the side of the Shepherd, who calls out to his sheep; they hear his voice and answer him. Or am I on the side of the wolves that disguise themselves and devour their prey. The Pharisees and Scribes – the religious, the pious - were the most critical of the Lord. They killed the prophets of old and did not learn their lesson. They judged too quickly, sentenced to hastily, and executed too brutally. A man once told me that the media was trying to destroy the Catholic Church. I remarked that if the priests, bishops and past Popes had failed to do so, then the Church would endure the test of time, till the end of time! All of us have to be careful so as to not fall into temptation or hasty conclusions!
We can be misled, and our logic found to be faulty. Information can be inaccurate and assumptions found to be too presumptuous. Let us learn today from Mary, who kept these things in her heart and never once lacked faith in the presence, the love and the mission of the Lord. Why? Because she prayed and because of this, mighty deeds were performed.
Today, I will concentrate on my own failings, seek forgiveness and praise the Lord, for a "humbled, contrite heart he will not spurn." (Ps. 51)
Today, I will concentrate on my own failings, seek forgiveness and praise the Lord, for a "humbled, contrite heart he will not spurn."
ReplyDeleteThe very question of how to be contrite, when we're just not there, came up yesterday with a friend and neither one of us knew how to get there with our cold hard hearts. Wish we would have paid more attention when this was first posted. We could have taken advantage of the indulgence yesterday that required a contrite heart!(8/2)