Posted on agosto 15, 2025 View all Gospel Reflection
Persevere in running the race that lies before you and … keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. (cf. Hebrews 12:1-2)
In our readings today we hear two messages that go hand in hand. St. Paul exhorts us to persevere in running the race that lies before us. That race being the image of our earthly life, and how we should be running to reach that great finish line which is the possibility of entry into heaven. The only way to accomplish this is to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus. When you are running a race or trying to get somewhere, it is very important to look to what is in front of you and towards the end point to make sure you are still on track. Just compare that with someone who is walking with their cell phone and is always looking down at it, only checking ahead once in a while. Imagine if there is a pothole, or a car coming or maybe even a hole in the road open for maintenance. That person would likely fall and injure themselves (or worse). If they are not looking ahead they run the high probability of heading the wrong way or missing a turn.
In the first reading the princes of Judah did not like the prophesies of Jeremiah. They said to the king “‘Jeremiah ought to be put to death; he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in this city, and all the people by speaking such things to them;’” (Jeremiah 38:4) But what was Jeremiah telling them? The Lord God had said to Jeremiah: “Perhaps, if the house of Judah hears all the evil I have in mind to do to them, so that all of them turn from their evil way, then I can forgive their wickedness and their sin.” (Jeremiah 36:3) But they did not want to hear it and burned the scroll with the warnings and prophesies from Jeremiah in the fire.
Jesus reminds us that oftentimes there is conflict even in families when one is trying to follow the Lord God’s plan. We certainly see that around us in our current society. We see faithful families in conflict with neighbors who are opposed to their values. We see even inside families division and conflict when children or even adults reject God and go off to pursue and live according to the ways of the world rather than God. This is why Jesus says “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Luke 12:49) Jesus desires our heart and our passion to be burning to do his will. He wants us to keep our eyes fixed on what is truly meaningful. But he also wants us to be aware that in this pursuit there will be division (even in families).
So, what are we to do? Should we ignore God’s messages? Should we be like the princes of Judah who ignored Jeremiah’s prophesies to believe what they wanted? I would say that is hardly likely to play out well for us. We heard how they thought if they eliminated the prophet, things would get better. We saw that when Joseph’s brothers sought to kill him to rid themselves of his prophesies. But that did not work out well for either of them. Joseph’s brothers would then have to suffer through the famine and the princes of Judah saw the city of Jerusalem fall into the hands of the Babylonians with almost all of the inhabitants of the entire city led away into captivity. Jesus reminds us that His Word will set us free and that He is the Way. If we profess to want to enter into heaven, then all the more should we be listening to His Word (even in the midst of conflict) and follow His Way looking ahead to avoid sin and pitfalls and to stay true to the path Jesus sets out for us.
