Greetings on this the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10; Psalm 40:2, 3, 4, 18; Hebrews 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53
Summary
In our sacred readings today, two distinct and holy responses to the actions of others to the efforts to ruin or poison a well.
In ancient times, ruining a well is a tried and true method of ruining the lives and wellbeing of an enemy. The Philistines became envious of him. The Philistines had stopped up and filled with dirt all the wells that his father’s servants had dug back in the days of his father Abraham (Gen 26:14-15). This ancient story of bickering over the wells is titled Isaac and Abimelech. A good read. It took three times to dig wells before the contention abated.
Sidebar: Poisoning the well is a phrase used in the logical fallacies naming convention where describes discrediting the speaker before even presenting his/her argument. Today’s reflection is not the use of the term in the application of understanding logic nor as a anti-sematic trope which how it is also sometimes used. Just reclaiming the language for the important moral perspective.
And so they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Prince Malchiah, in the court of the guard, letting him down by rope. There was no water in the cistern, only mud, and Jeremiah sank down into the mud. “My lord king, these men have done wrong in all their treatment of Jeremiah the prophet, throwing him into the cistern. He will starve to death on the spot. Then the king ordered Ebed-melech the Ethiopian: “Take three men with you, and get Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.” (Jer 38:6, 9, 10).
While keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart (Heb 12:2-3).
Reflection
By throwing Jeremiah into the well so that he might die in there, is attempting to do several things at once:
- To remove good.
- To destroy good.
- To pollute a natural good with the rotted corpse of a prophet.
- To poison the population with waters now made deadly once the rains return.
Evil, in fact, is very comprehensive in its activities. Attempting to ruin things at the most basic level of things – water and life.
But, thanks be to God, Jeremiah was saved with a reversal of this cursed act.
And, so it is with Jesus in our gospel portion today.
Refactoring Family
Family life has been harmed by many poisons. So much so that the binding ties between family members is based on alliance, advantage and acquisition.
Jesus is saying – Enough!
While it is painful to refactor the ‘frozen in amber‘ ways of life…
“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division (Lk 12:49-51).
He doesn’t want to destroy your family. He wants to rescue you from the mud at the bottom of the cistern! Purify and cleanse you and make sweet water flows between and among you.
Personal Reflection
At every chance we get, let us lift up our families out of the mud and onto dry land. It can be painful. It may even seem harmful. But the division is to break the unholy bonds and replacement with holy bonds. With the fire of divine love.
Pope Francis would say… the three tools of refactoring.
- “Please“: Demonstrating respect and politeness in everyday interactions.
- “Thank you“: Showing gratitude and appreciation for gestures, both large and small.
- “I’m sorry“: Acknowledging mistakes, seeking forgiveness, and working towards reconciliation.
Sacred Readings Full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/081725.cfm
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry