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Dear friends,
Today is the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The designation of ordinary time always begs the question: Are these ordinary times? Liturgically, they are because it is during this time that we reflect on the life of Christ and his public teaching. In other aspects of life, however, these times feel anything but ordinary as we witness a world that feels increasingly volatile and harsh.
Today is Father’s Day, elevating the day from the ordinary to a celebration of our fathers and the men who helped raise us. Seasons and days of celebration are special and hyper-focus our attention on specific things, but in the end, it is the ordinary times in which we live. Day by day, week by week, following familiar routines. The Church, in her wisdom, recognizes this and, every year, takes us back to ordinary time for reflection on the life of Jesus and what it can mean for us.
Richard Rohr tells us, “If in reading the gospels, we do not hear Jesus speaking to our contemporary situation, we are missing the meaning”. Today's readings speak with a loud voice to our “contemporary situation”.
In today's first reading, Jeremiah is discouraged and afraid: “I hear the whispers of many…all those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine.” He is in pain, abandoned and alone, but instead of dwelling on his worries, he turns to God: “…for to you I entrusted my cause,” and then encourages others to “sing to the Lord” and “praise the Lord.” Jeremiah’s faith is a lesson for those times we feel abandoned and confused. When things were uncertain or tough, my mother used to say, “The Lord will provide”. Maybe she understood as Jeremiah did.
The responsorial psalm picks up right where Jeremiah leaves off. “Lord, in your great love answer me,” and Paul, in the second reading, reminds us that we are all affected by sin and commit sins, but with the grace of God, we move away from sin.
The message of trusting in God comes through with even greater clarity in the gospel as Jesus tells his apostles, “Fear not.” He encourages them to share “what I say to you in the darkness” and to “proclaim it from the housetops”. He uses examples we can understand. He says of birds: “…not one of them falls to the ground without your Father's knowledge,” and that even the hairs on our heads are known to God.
What would happen if we truly believed we were cherished? What would happen if we shared the messages Jesus gave us from our rooftops? We would not need to use words. Our actions would speak for themselves.
Our ancestors, Jeremiah, Paul, our mothers and our fathers left us with a belief in the Divine. They trusted in God. Let us follow suit and trust in their wisdom.
Peace,
Anne
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