OF PROPHETS AND BULLFROGS

Pastor's Column

 Medford

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 18, 2019

Jeremiah was a bulldog! Perhaps, but Jeremiah was also one of the Great Prophets of Israel.  In our First Reading, he calls the fallen people of Israel to repentance and unity. His words fell on “deaf ears”, and he was exiled.  Later a court official rescued him.  He recognized Jeremiah to be without fault, and 800 years later, we have his wisdom teaching.  Through mercy, he was saved! 

Jesus calls us to mercy through salvation and unity.  

Here are some critical dates in salvation history:

2000 B.C.        Abraham and Sarah begin their pilgrimage of faith- Judaism

1500 B.C.        Moses rescued the Jews from Pharaoh- EXODUS

1000 B.C.        The Great United Kingdom of David- The “Zenith” of Judaism

500  B.C.         The Babylonian Exile- The Temple is destroyed, the low point of Judaism

                        The Jewish people are scattered, and their nation-state destroyed. 

0     A.D.         The birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ, The Son of God

Notice a pattern there?  Every 500 years, there seems to be a massive event, none more magnificent than the birth of the Messiah.  We are now 2000 years since his birth.  Has this pattern continued? 

0       A.D.       Jesus’ birth

500   A.D.       The reforms of Saint Benedict and Monasticism

1000 A.D.       The Great Schism, the Church splits into two (Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy)

1500 A.D.       The Reformation and The Council of Trent

2000 A.D.       The Second Vatican Council

All of these 500-year epics have something in common:  either disunity or unity.

At the Last Supper, Jesus calles us to unity.  Why was this all necessary, His crucifixion, death and resurrection?  For UNITY!

Jesus explains his goal of unity in the Gospel of John, Chapter 17, verse 21 (Jn 17:21)

That they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us,^[a] so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

When we are united, things are peaceful, calm, and filled with goodness.  I suggest that this is the lesson here, that we all may be as one.

Jesus expresses God, the Father's mercy.  Pope Benedict said that Jesus is the Face of God's Mercy. Pope Francis said the Gospels are the expression of Jesus’ Mercy.

Thank goodness for His Mercy, otherwise, how could we get to Heaven?  Certainly not merely by our own merits.  Instead, because Jesus saves us through his sacrifice on the cross. Praise be to Him, now and forever Amen!