Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10; Psalm 40; Hebrews 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53
It was in the year 589 BC when the Babylonian troops surrounded Jerusalem. The princes and the priests encouraged the soldiers to defend the city. They were convinced that, just as in the times of Isaiah, God would miraculously save the city (see Isaiah 36-37). But Jeremiah was doing the opposite. He was demoralising the soldiers saying that all was lost, because God had already decided the fate of the city (Jer 38:2-3). Submission to the yoke of the king of Babylon was the only option for saving the city and the people (Jer 27: 12,17). No wonder he was thrown into a cistern full of mud. Such words could be considered as treasonous.
Shocking are also the words of Christ in today’s Gospel: “I came to cast fire on the earth” (Luke 12:49); “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division “(Luke 12:51). Today we know that the fire refers to the Holy Spirit who renews the face of the earth (Ps 104:30). The Holy Spirit was “cast” after the baptism of Christ’s Passion (Luke 12:50, Mark 10: 38-39) upon all those who believe in Him (Acts 2:1-11). But following Christ indeed leads to division. In many totalitarian regimes parents have to hide Bibles for fear of being denounced to authorities by their own children. Then, there are those grandmothers being ridiculed by their own grandchildren for praying the rosary.
Jeremiah was pulled out of the cistern (Ps 40:2), survived the fall of the city, and even avoided the Babylonian exile (Jer 39: 11-14). Unfortunately, according to the tradition, he was stoned to death by his own people in Egypt, probably for prophesying that even in Egypt they would not escape God’s punishment (Jer 45: 12-14). What could motivate him to risk life for the Word of God? What motivated Christ to “endure the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2)? LOVE. But, love is not always reciprocated and can be rejected.
Saint Faustina once saw a big crowd of people waiting for someone to take a place in the altar. That person was her. But to get there she had to go through this crowd that threw at her “mud, stones, sand, brooms”. Among those throwing at her all those things were also her pupils, sisters, superiors, and even parents. When she finally reached the altar, the very same people began to pray asking her for graces. But she did not bear any grudge against them. Instead, she felt a special love for those who treated her so badly, forcing her to achieve more quickly the state of sainthood (see Diary, 31).
Christian life is an endurance race. “We are surrounded by so great cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12:1), who completed this race before us. They want to see us on the finishing line. In the meantime, however, we are challenged by the difficulties of the race and we entertain the possibility of giving up. The author of Hebrews understands it. We are told that in such low moments we should contemplate Christ, “who endured such opposition from sinners” (Heb. 12:3). After all, we do not suffer to the point of martyrdom yet.
Once a priest said that he could not imagine a day without meditating upon the Lord’s Passion. In a certain sense, such prayer is an answer to the call of the Hebrews to fix “our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12: 2). By contemplating Christ’s suffering, we avoid losing heart in running the race called Christian life (Hebrews 12:3). Fixing our eyes on Christ’s Passion strengthens our resolve to follow the Lord to the end.
You can also visit the author's page: Reading Bible
Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10; Psalm 40; Hebrews 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53
It was in the year 589 BC when the Babylonian troops surrounded Jerusalem. The princes and the priests encouraged the soldiers to defend the city. They were convinced that, just as in the times of Isaiah, God would miraculously save the city (see Isaiah 36-37). But Jeremiah was doing the opposite. He was demoralising the soldiers saying that all was lost, because God had already decided the fate of the city (Jer 38:2-3). Submission to the yoke of the king of Babylon was the only option for saving the city and the people (Jer 27: 12,17). No wonder he was thrown into a cistern full of mud. Such words could be considered as treasonous.
Shocking are also the words of Christ in today’s Gospel: “I came to cast fire on the earth” (Luke 12:49); “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division “(Luke 12:51). Today we know that the fire refers to the Holy Spirit who renews the face of the earth (Ps 104:30). The Holy Spirit was “cast” after the baptism of Christ’s Passion (Luke 12:50, Mark 10: 38-39) upon all those who believe in Him (Acts 2:1-11). But following Christ indeed leads to division. In many totalitarian regimes parents have to hide Bibles for fear of being denounced to authorities by their own children. Then, there are those grandmothers being ridiculed by their own grandchildren for praying the rosary.
Jeremiah was pulled out of the cistern (Ps 40:2), survived the fall of the city, and even avoided the Babylonian exile (Jer 39: 11-14). Unfortunately, according to the tradition, he was stoned to death by his own people in Egypt, probably for prophesying that even in Egypt they would not escape God’s punishment (Jer 45: 12-14). What could motivate him to risk life for the Word of God? What motivated Christ to “endure the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2)? LOVE. But, love is not always reciprocated and can be rejected.
Saint Faustina once saw a big crowd of people waiting for someone to take a place in the altar. That person was her. But to get there she had to go through this crowd that threw at her “mud, stones, sand, brooms”. Among those throwing at her all those things were also her pupils, sisters, superiors, and even parents. When she finally reached the altar, the very same people began to pray asking her for graces. But she did not bear any grudge against them. Instead, she felt a special love for those who treated her so badly, forcing her to achieve more quickly the state of sainthood (see Diary, 31).
Christian life is an endurance race. “We are surrounded by so great cloud of witnesses” (Heb 12:1), who completed this race before us. They want to see us on the finishing line. In the meantime, however, we are challenged by the difficulties of the race and we entertain the possibility of giving up. The author of Hebrews understands it. We are told that in such low moments we should contemplate Christ, “who endured such opposition from sinners” (Heb. 12:3). After all, we do not suffer to the point of martyrdom yet.
Once a priest said that he could not imagine a day without meditating upon the Lord’s Passion. In a certain sense, such prayer is an answer to the call of the Hebrews to fix “our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12: 2). By contemplating Christ’s suffering, we avoid losing heart in running the race called Christian life (Hebrews 12:3). Fixing our eyes on Christ’s Passion strengthens our resolve to follow the Lord to the end.
You can also visit the author's page: Reading Bible