Sermon Tone Analysis

Title

Calm in the Midst of a Storm

Outline

The Temple was supposed to be the place one came to peace

It was where one came meet God, the saving God

It was where one became reconciled with God through the proper ritual and priestly intercession

It was where one worshipped God alongside others - a place of solidarity with one’s people before a God who was their deliverer.

But in our readings the Temple is a place of danger

Jeremiah was a priest sent by God to the temple as a prophet to avert national danger

Should not the people be thankful for a warning, or, if they did not want to respond simply think of him as a harmless crazy?

After all, he was in a minority and there were plenty of prophets prophesying success for Judah.

God revealed to Jeremiah that instead there were plots against the young prophet.

He was predicting the destruction of the Temple and therefore its leadership, he was predicting the downfall of the king and was therefore anti-patriotic, and he was warning against their only hope, an alliance with Egypt, and suggesting that only repentance or (at other times) yielding to the Babylonians was the way to safety.

Jeremiah does not run and hide, but commits his cause to God, asking God to preserve him to see the fulfillment of his prophecies (which request he may have later regretted).

Jesus has just stood in the Temple on a water festival

and has stated that he is the new Temple, that out of his side water would flow as in the temple in Eden and as in Ezekiel’s temple.

As with Jeremiah, some were positively stirred: “the Prophet,” or “Messiah” they excited said to one another.

Others saw him as an imposter and tried disprove the Messianic identification (without investigating) or simply arrest and silence him.

The Pharisees (the Shammite faction especially) were unevenly divided.

When the guards returned without Jesus, stunned at his words as well as realizing that an arrest would be difficult, the Pharisaic majority assumed that all Pharisees thought Jesus an imposter.

Nicodemus tries to intervene (without confronting them with his loyalty to Jesus): we need to investigate; we are judging without careful investigation.

The majority simply fell back on the uninvestigated assertion of the crowd they had despised: he is from Galilee and no prophet comes from Galilee.

But Nicodemus had managed to put off an attack on Jesus, for, “They went each to his own house.”

Jesus remains calm, for especially in John he is in complete control; the next morning he will be back in the Temple again.

Sisters, these passages are relevant to us

First, God has chosen and called us to do his work in the world, to feed his sheep, some of us more openly and some of us more secludedly.

But have no doubt that this witness will involve quietly standing for God’s truth, God’s good, and God’s beautiful which is a quiet confrontation of the world around us.

Second, any such faithfulness will eventually bring a reaction from our most secular nation that worships and has worshiped Mammon, of course, and from those in the Church whose hearts are really in the world.

We may indeed see the fall of Church structures as God reveals his heavenly Temple, as Pope Benedict, amongst others, suggested.

The problem is that attacks from without our Church and within our nation are the most painful.

Third, there will be always those around us whom God has call who will hear and see the witness and will respond, so do not think all are in opposition.

Finally, the important thing is to keep one’s eyes on Jesus and keep one’s trust directed to him and his Father.

We may walk through one or another versions of the cross, but the resurrection is on the other side.

Stay faithful and stay focused on him.

Be a non-anxious presence.

In calmness and peace is our future.

Readings

FIRST READING

Jeremiah 11:18–20

18 I knew it because the LORD informed me: at that time you showed me their doings.

19 Yet I was like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, not knowing that they were hatching plots against me: “Let us destroy the tree in its vigor; let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will no longer be remembered.”

20 But, you, LORD of hosts, just Judge,

searcher of mind and heart,

Let me witness the vengeance you take on them,

for to you I have entrusted my cause!

RESPONSE

Psalm 7:2a

2 LORD my God, in you I trusted;

save me; rescue me from all who pursue me,

PSALM

Psalm 7:2–3, 9b–12

2 LORD my God, in you I trusted;

save me; rescue me from all who pursue me,

3 Lest someone maul me like a lion,

tear my soul apart with no one to deliver.

9 the LORD will pass judgment on the peoples.

Judge me, LORD, according to my righteousness,

and my integrity.

10 Let the malice of the wicked end.

Uphold the just one,

O just God,

who tries hearts and minds.

11 God is a shield above me

saving the upright of heart.

12 God is a just judge, powerful and patient,

not exercising anger every day.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Luke 8:15

15 But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.

GOSPEL

John 7:40–53

40 Some in the crowd who heard these words said, “This is truly the Prophet.”

41 Others said, “This is the Messiah.”

But others said, “The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he?

42 Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” 43 So a division occurred in the crowd because of him.

44 Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

45 So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?”

46 The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one.”

47 So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?

48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?

49 But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.”

50 Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, 51 “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?”

52 They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you?

Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

Notes

SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2022 | LENT

SATURDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF LENT

YEARS 1 & 2 | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

On the same date: Saint Francis of Paola, Hermit

First Reading Jeremiah 11:18–20

Response Psalm 7:2a

Psalm Psalm 7:2–3, 9b–12

Gospel Acclamation Luke 8:15

Gospel John 7:40–53

Violet or White if St Francis of Paola