Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, also known as Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore. It is one of the four Papal Major Basilicas in Rome. According to the traditions of the Church, on August 352 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a wealthy nobleman in Rome. She asked that a church be built on the spot where he would find snow. On that summer day, snow did mysteriously appear in the often-hot Roman summer and a church was built on the spot and dedicated to Our Lady of the Snows. On a deeper level, this feast reminds us that Mary has been reverenced throughout the history of the Church as our Mother. As she foretold in her prayer, the Magnificat, “All generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48).
During the time I was in Rome for studies, I visited this Basilica several times.
In our first reading today (Jeremiah 18: 1-17), we read what we may call the “battle of the prophets.” The prophet Jeremiah confronted the false prophet Hananiah before the king of Judah, Zedekiah. Hananiah was a false prophet because he was not sent by God. Hananiah presented his own thoughts and false ideas to the king and people of Judah. Hananiah spoke to the king and to the people of Judah the message that they wanted to hear, the message of false comfort and consolation as he spoke of how the yoke of Babylon would be destroyed and that the kingdom and people of Judah would be freed from their enemies.
On the other hand, the prophet Jeremiah spoke of God’s truth. Jeremiah was sent by God as the Lord said to him: “Thus says the Lord: stand in the court of the house of the LORD and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah who come to worship in the house of the LORD; whatever I command you, tell them. And omit nothing. Perhaps they will listen and turn back, each from his evil way……..”(Jeremiah 26: 1-9). Jeremiah was mandated by God to tell the people that their days were numbered and the kingdom would soon be destroyed by the Babylonians, the city and the Temple, the House of God would soon be destroyed as well, if they do not change or mend their ways and turn back to God.
Unfortunately, the common folk and the king did not listen to the prophet of God, Jeremiah, which led to the ultimate downfall and destruction of Judah, just as Jeremiah had told the people.
How often do civil and religious leaders try to be politically correct, and not call a spade a spade? How often do people try to gain favors by telling others whatever they wanted to listen to, all the good things and happy things which were indeed nice to be listened to, but which could not be further from the truth?
The common folk at the time of Jeremiah is not quite different from the people today. We love those who tell us what we would like to hear. People still like junk food, feel good message.
In the gospel (Matthew 14: 13-21), Jesus’ disciples too were tempted to follow the easier way out of trouble. We read how his disciples came to him with the suggestion, “This is a deserted place and it is already late. Dismiss the crowds so that they may go to the villages and buy some food for themselves.”
Beware of false prophets in our midst.
Do not look for easy way out.
Have a blessed Week
