ENTERING INTO COMMUNION WITH GOD'S WILL

WEDNESDAY, SIXTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Reflection from Friar Nicholas Okeke, OP 

Jer 1:1,4-10; Ps 71:1-6,15,17; Mt 13:1-9

The Word of God and the Prophet/Shepherd

The first reading tells us of the call of the prophet Jeremiah from a priestly family living in Anathoth. Jeremiah’s call, similar to the call of Isaiah, came with a vision of Yahweh. In the inaugural vision, Yahweh made him understand that he consecrated him a prophet even before he formed him in the womb. “The word of the Lord was addressed to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you came to birth I consecrated you; I have appointed you as prophet to the nations.’” This underscores the immutability of God’s will, stressed in yesterday’s reflection. We can do nothing to change the divine will once he has chosen if we are to be happy. Yahweh made the young Jeremiah understand this by putting aside his protestations. “Do not say, ‘I am a child.’  Go now to those whom I send you and, say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to protect you—it is the Lord who speaks!” God reassured the young Jeremiah, making him understand that his will makes him present to the one who embraces it.

In the context of the theme of the heavenly Shepherd for the week, God is the Shepherd of his flock; he calls human shepherds to represent him as visible shepherds. The one he calls acts in the power of God when he patterns all his thoughts, words, and actions on the revealed will of God. Yahweh confirmed this by the symbolic action of touching Jeremiah’s mouth. “Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me: ‘There! I am putting my words into your mouth. Look, today I am setting you over nations and over kingdoms, to tear up and to knock down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’” The meaning of this symbolic action is the revelation of God’s will to Jeremiah, for the will of God, as we noted yesterday, rules the whole universe; hence, access to the will of God gives an understanding of how God governs all things. This is the power a shepherd called to lead the flock of God has when he works in harmony with the divine will. It is never easy to attain this harmony; it was not easy for Jeremiah. The challenge for the prophet/shepherd is to enter into communion with God’s will. This is possible only through the knowledge of the word of God. In the Old Testament, the prophets chosen by God had special access to the word of God, but in the New Testament, God has freely sent His Word to all. Hence, every baptised Christian share in the threefold offices of Jesus Christ: a priest, a prophet, and a king.

Our Lord confirmed this doctrine in the gospel with the parable of the Sower. This heavenly Sower is also the heavenly Shepherd who calls us to be shepherds in his place. He gives us this vocation by broadcasting his word to all. The parable explained why there are many bad shepherds and few good ones. “Imagine a sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up.” So many cannot know and follow the will of God because of a lack of interior life or time to pray and internalise the word they have heard. “Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up straight away, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away.” Some heard the word and happily stored it in their hearts. But their unmortified lifestyle proved very inconveniencing and incompatible with the word of God they heard. Hence, the lack of deep repentance quenched the budding spiritual life. “Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.” Some people heard and received the word of God. But the cares and worries of this world made it impossible for them to grow in the knowledge of the will of God and spiritual life. Only those who received the word of God and stored it in their hearts, who generously spent time in prayer and meditation on the word, can enter into deep communion with God’s will and produce plenty of fruits.

Let us pray: Grant us, Lord, the grace to understand the inestimable value of your word which you have freely given to us, that hearing and receiving it within our hearts, we may generously spend time in meditation and contemplation of your will, to produce plenty heavenly fruits.