4th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Jeremiah 1:4ff) “Fidelity is Not Easy”
4th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Jeremiah 1:4ff) “Fidelity is Not Easy”
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I dedicated you.” We read this verse from Jeremiah in our first lesson. We get a sense that God has spoken to Jeremiah in some sort of divine revelation. We would think that this would lead Jeremiah to have a deep sense of confidence in God. Jeremiah, it is said, had a ministry that was very much like Jesus’ ministry. Jesus had a feeling that he was prodded by the Father. The thing that is very similar is that the call to mission for both, Jeremiah and Jesus, involved personal struggle. Both had to suffer rejection and humiliation as they lived out their prophetic calls.
Jeremiah’s has a good deal of inner turmoil. Any conscientious minister does. I often marvel at priests who celebrate jubilees of ordination. Usually, they are asked the question, “Have you ever questioned the life you have chosen to lead?” The answer is usually the same. “I never have had an unhappy day as a priest.” Is that true or does a more nuanced answer make people uncomfortable? We could compare it to the greetings we share with the people we interact with every day. We say hello. We then ask how people are doing. The response is usually, “I’m fine.” We then can move on to the next conversation. If someone says with all honesty, “I am having a lousy day, and this is why.” We can have embarrassed silence. If someone says they aren’t doing well, we are probably sorry we inquired.
Jeremiah was probably a person who wouldn’t involve himself in light conversation. He was very forthright as to the struggles he had as a prophet. What do we hear later in the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah? First, Jeremiah has a scary vision. He sees a boiling pot that is about to tip over and scald everything in Israel (1:13). Jeremiah’s job is to warn of impending doom. He points out how peoples’ sinfulness has caused the tribulations that are going to happen. His listeners react with anger at his preaching. He is thrown into a muddy cistern for days (Ch. 37 + 38). Jeremiah laments his choice to be a prophet. He says, “You seduced me Lord” (Chapter 20). Jeremiah’s frustration comes to a climax at the end of chapter twenty when he finally says, “Cursed the day on which I was born.” We could wonder about Jeremiah. Did he lose faith in the end? No, he soldiered on. Why? It is a wonderful question to ponder. Why do people remain faithful when their vocations are difficult? Isn’t it inspiring when someone tenaciously holds on to a calling?
During the upcoming week, we will celebrate Catholic Schools week. St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of Catholic Schools. We could say that he was an example of someone who had a call from the beginning of his life but had all kinds of crises as he lived out that vocation. St. Thomas was born in the 13th Century of a royal family in Italy. His parents dedicated him to the church when he was born. Thomas’ family wanted him to be a Benedictine priest, preferably an Abbot. Benedictine monasteries were very wealthy at this point in history. Also, they had a lot of political power. Thomas was sent to live in a monastery when he was five years old.
As he matured, he decided to join the Dominican order. Dominicans were friars who moved from place to place. The poverty they experienced stood in contrast to the wealth of much of the clergy. Thomas’ parents were not happy. The family kidnapped Thomas taking him home. He was locked up for three years. His relatives tried every tactic to get him to give up his vocation, but he would not be dissuaded. Finally, they let him go. He returned to the Dominicans.
His trials did not end there. As he studied for a degree in Theology his shyness caused people to believe he was stupid. His classmates called him a dumb ox because of his size. But his teachers began to see his brilliance. He became one of the greatest of Theologians, but at the end of his life he stopped writing after a mystical experience. He came to believe that all he had written was straw. Thomas certainly had many struggles that would have caused him to question his call. But he persevered. Why did he continue as a Dominican?
Perhaps it went back to the idea of being chosen. Being chosen can cut both ways. We can have a sense of awe. We can also have a feeling that we don’t have a choice about serving the Lord. Both Jeremiah and Thomas had a sense of wonder. Both men didn’t have to serve in the ministry, but they did. And their lives had a profound impact on the world.
We are all part of the grand project of building the Kingdom of Jesus. We have been chosen. If it is easy, we are fortunate,. St. Thomas and Jeremiah would probably say along with many others who have taken their Christian vocation very seriously, “Our call, very often, leads to trouble. And if that happens it probably means we are authentically following in the footsteps of Jesus".
Reflection Questions:
- Should my Christian vocation always bring peace to my life? Have I ever gotten into trouble as a follower of Jesus?
- Was I chosen before I was born? How do I know?
Dear Parishioners,
This past week we received a resolution from the Diocese of Peoria that will allow us to replaster and repaint certain areas on the East side of the church that have been damaged by water during the last few years. Last summer we repaired gutters and added downspouts that we believe will alleviate the leaks for now. With a church the size of Sacred Heart there will always be challenges with leaks. The drainage off the church is quite complex and there have been ongoing problems throughout the years.
The plastering will be in the upper reaches of the church and will require scaffolding. These are areas that require special skills. The repairs will take several weeks, but we should be able to worship in the church. We hope to do the plastering before Lent begins.
This will cost us about $25,000 and the money will come out of our memorial funds. These monies have come to us over the years when people leave their memorials to Sacred Heart at the time of a funeral.
The finance committee has approved this work. We want to make sure that Sacred Heart Church continues to be beautiful and inspiring for all who come to worship with us. If anyone would like to make a special donation to this project, please put an envelope in the collection with your gift and mark it church repair.
May Our Lady and All the Angels and Saints watch over you.
Fr. Mark