I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!—Luke 12:49
Sunday, August 17
I love the concrete images used in the readings today. In the first reading, we find Jeremiah sinking in mud because of outside forces. Have you ever been literally stuck in mud, had your car mired in a rut, or been economically or mentally depressed? Trying to get out completely saps your energy. In the second reading, we see the journey of faith described as running a race, more marathon than sprint. Finally, we have the image of Jesus setting the world on fire. Did you know that some of the trees in the western United States need a fire to be able to activate new seeds of growth?
Poverty is like being mired in the mud; there is a sense of hopelessness, of being alone, as you struggle to survive. But our mental attitude toward the poor and the unjustly disadvantaged can also be one of mud.
The USCCB reflection, “Hope in a Time of Poverty,” states: “Now is a moment for discernment for all concerned about the common good. It is time to come together to shape a new vision for the future. We must not be naïve about the complexity of the forces and events reshaping our economy, nor blind to our own responsibility.” As the late Pope Francis said in his homily at Lampedusa (2013), “We have become used to the suffering of others: it doesn’t affect me; it doesn’t concern me; it’s none of my business.” I call it the “mud in our minds.”
The bishops’ reflection continues: “This crisis requires us to look at our world with fresh eyes, with a renewed respect for the dignity of the human person and the sacredness of life. . .The Holy Spirit prompts us to radical solidarity with those who suffer, and to charity, ‘an extraordinary force which leads people to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice and peace’” (Caritas in Veritate, 1). By seeking to emulate the life and words of Jesus and the teaching of his Church, we discern the call to serve those in need and to work actively for social and economic justice.
Now is the moment to rise from the mud, persevere in running the race, and set the world on fire. Let us give Jesus, our most beloved brother, his wish.
Barbara Molinari Quinby, MPS, Director
Office of Human Life, Dignity, and Justice Ministries
Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral Raleigh, NC