1 August 2020
Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Jeremiah and John the Baptist both had their priorities straight. When faced with fierce objections, imprisonment, and the real possibility of death, the prophets could have simply changed their priorities to seek comfort, a life without controversy, a couple more years on this earth. Instead, they set their hearts on neither a long life, nor on a short life, but on what brings fullness to life: faithfulness to the call of God who loved them and their hearers infinitely.
In the case of Jeremiah, his self-forgetfulness led to some more years of prophecy. In John’s case, his self-forgetfulness led to his last act of witness, laying down his life for God. In both cases, the Lord was able to bear good fruit in the lives of those who allowed the true words of these prophets sink into their hearts and minds. Whom has the Lord given us like Jeremiah and John? Who do we know who is self-forgetful enough to publically witness to the love and call of God, even if that means facing criticism and even threats? Let us pray that we, too, may hear God who calls us through such voices, and that may imitate their example of setting the glory of the Lord as their top priority in life.