20TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10; Hebrews 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53
The Book of Jeremiah is the source of the first reading for this weekend. Jeremiah is regarded as one of the more important prophets. In fact, three prophets — Isaiah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah — are called Major Prophets.
Jeremiah was active as a prophet during the reign of King Josiah of Judah, or between 640 and 609 BC. Generally, Josiah was seen as a good and upright king, loyal to God.
It is important to remember that kingship in the eyes of the devout ancient Hebrews was not a matter of governing the country primarily, or of conducting foreign affairs, or of commanding the military.
Instead, for the faithful, the king’s responsibility, regardless of the person who was wearing the crown at any given time, was to see that the law of God was obeyed, and that the people of the kingdom were aware, and attentive to, the Covenant with God.
Very often, this view meant that prophets placed themselves in conflict with the powerful.
Jeremiah in this reading certainly involved himself in politics. Politics can be controversial. So Jeremiah made enemies. Indeed, enemies gathered to plot his death. The reading speaks of their wish to annihilate this annoying prophet.
Despite this threat, despite the scheming of his enemies, Jeremiah still spoke with determination that God deserved obedience. The Covenant had to be honored. It was that simple.
The Epistle to the Hebrews provides the second reading.
Written for a Jewish audience, eloquent and majestically so, with strong references to Hebrew history and symbols, this epistle splendidly proclaims the Lord Jesus to be the Redeemer, the Lamb of God, and the High Priest.
The epistle’s section, read this weekend, says that Jesus was “shameless” even when dying the ignoble death of crucifixion. Regardless of the insults and scorn of others, Jesus rose to sit at the right hand of the Father in glory.
For its last reading on this weekend, the church offers us a passage from St. Luke’s Gospel.
Always in reading the Gospels, it should be remembered that they were written not at the time of Jesus, but many years later. This Gospel, for instance, was probably written 40 years after Jesus.
By the time this Gospel was composed, hostility against Christians already had begun to form in the Roman Empire. In a short time this hostility would erupt into a full-fledged persecution. The hostility was to be expected. The Christian ethic stood utterly opposite the prevailing culture.
So the Evangelist had to select words spoken by Jesus to apply to conditions meaningful to the Evangelist’s audience.
This being the case, it is easy to see why the Gospel in this reading quotes Jesus as saying that there would be no peace on the earth. Jesus brought fire. It can be a chilling thought, even somehow a contradiction of the Gospel of peace.
In reality, it says that Christians must be prepared to withstand many pressures, and strong pressures, rather than forsake the one true message of Christ.
Reflection
The church is always inviting us to follow the Lord. Indeed, its most magnificent liturgical moments are in Holy Week when it tells us so brilliantly of the Lord’s love for us, given in the Eucharist, and on Calvary, and of the Lord’s identity as Son of God, affirmed by the Resurrection.
Nevertheless, in inviting us to discipleship, the church never leads us down a primrose path. It is very frank and blunt.
It is being very frank in these readings. Following Christ may often cause us to swim against the tide. Pushing against us will be the setting in which we live, those among whom we love, or ourselves.
As did Jeremiah, as did Christ, we must withstand all that is contrary to God.
