When sunlight breaks
When the sun breaks through the horizon, we shield our eyes at the brilliance of its rays. We marvel at its warmth and the loveliness of its splendor, but experience a temporary aversion to its blinding light.
We also share in this paradox when we encounter the truth who is Christ, whether in an isolated event or in a million different ways throughout our lives.
In the readings these last several Sundays, Jeremiah experiences being treated like an outcast for proclaiming the “hard truths” of his time. Rejected in his own homeland of Anathoth (now called Anata), he moved to Jerusalem, where God called him to prophesy to their nation.
After surviving many attempts on his life, Jeremiah was eventually forced to leave Jerusalem and, according to tradition, was later stoned to death by his own people in Egypt. (Source: https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/jeremiah-jeremias-the-prophet).
Choices
Jeremiah had a choice; he could have stopped prophesying for God, or continued taking the constant alienation and persecution from his own people.
No matter what injustices we suffer on earth, God makes it clear we are responsible for our own choices (Ezek 18:1-5, John 9:3). See https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/18, and https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/9.
And why not? Heaven is our real home. Shouldn’t we have a say as to whether we want it or not? That being said, Jesus made it clear it’s easy to see the faults, failures, frailties, and sins of others and be blind to our own (Mt 7:3) https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/7.
Condemnation of God or men?
EWTN foundress, Mother Angelica (1923-2016) said, “This is our testing ground, that’s all.” Therefore, we should look to ourselves, not to others. Bringing our own faults, failures, frailties and sins to God for healing in confession (and frequent reception of Jesus in communion) is the only clear-cut way we can eventually overcome them and grow in love.
Though Jeremiah lived a tough life condemned by men (as Christ was), he was not abandoned by God. His life is a testament that God gave him the power and the courage of the Holy Spirit to “light a fire on earth ” (Luke 12:49) https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/12.
A daisy and a sunflower
When we acknowledge when we fail to love in the sacrament of confession, we are allowing God to heal us. If we are ruled by fear instead of love (as I sometimes am), then we will be trampled underfoot (verse) by the vehement anger in the world–like a dainty daisy–instead of a stout towering sunflower.
Please God, help me be a sunflower.
