31 July 2024 -- Wednesday of the ^17th week ‘B

Jeremiah 15:10. 16-21; Matt 13:44-46

H O M E L I E

Jeremiah exists for one thing only, the Word of God. It was this Word, when he first heard it, that gave him his mission as a prophet. He developed a taste for it to the point of devouring it: ‘ As soon as I found your words, I devoured them’, he said. In this Word, he found not only his nourishment, but his joy: ‘ Your word made me glad, made me deeply happy.’ The Father has pronounced his name over him and consecrated it to himself: ‘ Your name has been proclaimed over me, LORD, God of powers.’ As a result, he can no longer seek his joy in the ordinary pleasures of life: ‘ I will not seek my joy by consorting with those who are enjoying themselves.’

In a less dramatic way, no doubt, this is something of the story of the vocation of each one of us. One day we heard God's call, the Word that called each and every one of us by name. It consecrated us or set us apart (which is the meaning of monastic consecration). From now on, even if we wanted to, we can no longer find our happiness in the ordinary things of life. We can find this happiness by listening to his word, by making it our daily food.

Jeremiah had been given the mission not only to receive the Word, but to pass it on to his people. This Word brought him into conflict with the people, who persecuted him. He was tempted to flee from the Word and his mission. He sometimes had the impression that he had been ‘used’ by God, if not deceived... He wanted to run away from his mission. God calls him back and promises to be his defender against all attacks, to be his rock and his strength.

In the Gospel we heard the parable of the pearl that was lost and found again. This pearl is so beautiful that the merchant who discovers it goes and sells everything he has to get it. We will only be truly happy in our (monastic) vocation if we see the Word of God addressed to us as such a precious pearl. Then, like the merchant in the Gospel, or like Saint Anthony of Egypt and so many others, we will sell everything else, throw away everything, even ourselves, in order to possess this pearl fully. Then, like Jeremiah, we will find it easy to endure all the trials we may face, and we will find in the Word of God the ineffable joy that will enable us to run with a full heart, as Saint Benedict says, in our (monastic) vocation.

*** Today we also celebrate the memory of Saint Ignatius of Loyola.

Armand Veilleux