Reading 1 Jer 15:10, 16-21
a man of strife and contention to all the land!
I neither borrow nor lend,
yet all curse me.
When I found your words, I devoured them;
they became my joy and the happiness of my heart,
Because I bore your name,
O LORD, God of hosts.
I did not sit celebrating
in the circle of merrymakers;
Under the weight of your hand I sat alone
because you filled me with indignation.
Why is my pain continuous,
my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook,
whose waters do not abide!
Thus the LORD answered me:
If you repent, so that I restore you,
in my presence you shall stand;
If you bring forth the precious without the vile,
you shall be my mouthpiece.
Then it shall be they who turn to you,
and you shall not turn to them;
And I will make you toward this people
a solid wall of brass.
Though they fight against you,
they shall not prevail,
For I am with you,
to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD.
I will free you from the hand of the wicked,
and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18
Rescue me from my enemies, O my God;
from my adversaries defend me.
Rescue me from evildoers;
from bloodthirsty men save me.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
mighty men come together against me,
Not for any offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! for you I watch;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
As for my God, may his mercy go before me;
may he show me the fall of my foes.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
But I will sing of your strength
and revel at dawn in your mercy;
You have been my stronghold,
my refuge in the day of distress.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! your praise will I sing;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
my merciful God!
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
Alleluia Jn 15:15b
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mt 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples:“The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
HOW TO BURN-OUT
"Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth! A man of strife and contention to all the land! I neither borrow nor lend, yet all curse me." –Jeremiah 15:10
Jeremiah wished he had never been born. He sat alone while others were partying (Jer 15:17). His pain was "continuous" and his "wound incurable" (Jer 15:18). According to the terminology of "pop-psychology," Jeremiah was experiencing "burn-out" in his prophetic ministry.
In contrast to "pop-psychology," the Lord in the Scriptures means something very different by the term "burn-out." "Burn-out" is a good thing. In fact, it is the meaning of life, "for our God is a consuming Fire," Who wants to totally consume us in His love (Heb 12:29). Thus, Jesus came "to light a fire on the earth" (Lk 12:49). By the fire of His Word (see Jer 23:29; 20:9), He will burn away the impurities of our hearts (see Lk 24:32) to make us unblemished offerings to be consumed by His love.
We have no choice but to be "burned out," but we can choose whether to be "burned out" in selfishness and self-destruction or to be "burned out" in total self-giving and everlasting love.
"Burn-out" in the bad sense is not caused by total commitment to Jesus but by anything less than total commitment. Sell all that you have (Mt 13:44, 46) and follow Jesus (Mt 19:21). "Burn out" for love of Him so you don't "burn-out."
| PRAYER: | Father, fire-try my faith (1 Pt 1:7). May I not be so reluctant to "burn-out" that I never catch fire. |
| PROMISE: | "When I found Your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart." –Jer 15:16 |
| PRAISE: | Thomas found that going to Mass and receiving the Eucharist during the week was the fuel he needed to keep the fire burning bright. |
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