Jeremiah 31: Inner Renewal Promised - God in Your Heart

Julie South [00:00:04]:
Welcome to your Catholic Corner. I'm your show host, Julie south. Your catholic corner helps Catholics spiritually prepare for each Sunday's mass. Starting midweek each week, you can listen to your Catholic corner@yourcatholiccorner.com. Today we are uncovering the biblical gems hidden in the books from the Prophet Jeremiah, the New Testament Book of Hebrews and John's Gospel in Catholic speak. We are in the fifth week of Lent in year b. In Catholic speak. We're in the fifth week of Lent in year B.

Julie South [00:00:47]:
That means there's just one more week of Lent before we go into the season of Easter. The format for today's show is question and answer with a listener question of the week. We'll look at the possible connections between the three Bible passages being read at this upcoming Sunday's mass so we can better understand why they might have been selected to be read together. We'll look at those passages together and the I will share my reflections on what I hear God saying to me and how I understood God's personal nudge to me. Remember that when two or more are gathered in Jesus's name, like we are now with you and me, he is here with us. The Bible passages that we're reading from today are from Jeremiah, chapter 31, verses 31 to 34, Hebrews, chapter five, verses seven through nine and John's Gospel, chapter twelve, verses 20 to 33.

Julie South [00:01:55]:
But before that, a quick word about your catholic corner, just in case this is your first time here. Regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, whether you've only just heard of that man called Jesus, you're new to Catholicism or you're a cradle Catholic, my prayer is that your catholic corner will help bring God's word to life in your heart through insights, reflections and practical applications that help deepen your relationship with God. Every Thursday we'll start preparing for mass by uncovering the richness hidden in each Sunday's Bible readings, from Old Testament prophecies to gospel parables. I invite you to join me and.

Julie South [00:02:39]:
The parishioners of the Cathedral of the.

Julie South [00:02:41]:
Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton, New Zealand, sponsors of your catholic corner so that together we can hear God's word and echo Samuel, speak, Lord, your servant is listening. Now let's get back to today's show.

Julie South [00:02:56]:
This week's question of the week is continuing on from last week, which is what is reconciliation? Where is this mentioned in the Bible? And why don't other christian churches have it as well? Last week we looked at what reconciliation is. What is reconciliation? Today we're going to look at where reconciliation is mentioned in the Bible. Next week we'll look at why other churches don't have it. Or do they? Righty. Where is reconciliation mentioned in the Bible? By the way, if you didn't listen to last week's and you are interested in what reconciliation is all about, please go to yourcatholiccorner.com and listen to last week's episode. Where is it mentioned in the Bible? I've got a few sources, so I'll put the links to those@yourcatholiccorner.com for you to check out yourself if you're interested. Now, according to openbible info, there are more than 100 references to the word reconciliation in the Bible, which is all well and good, right? Because there are a few christian denominations that challenge, and I use challenge in air quotes, us Catholic, because sometimes they say that we do things that aren't in the Bible. With more than 100 references to reconciliation in the Bible, I think it's pretty obvious that that's not the case here.

Julie South [00:04:27]:
So how does all of this tie in with us Catholics having reconciliation as a tenet of our relationship with Jesus and with God? The sacrament, the catholic sacrament of Reconciliation, which, as I mentioned last week is also known as confession, has its roots in quite a few passages that refer to reconciliation and the forgiveness of sins. It's these passages that provide the scriptural, the biblical, the foundation for the reconciliation rite or sacrament as it's practiced today by Us Catholic. In John chapter 20, verses 21 to 23, Jesus directly commissions his apostles with the authority to forgive and retain sins. And he says that this way, he says, Jesus says, if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained. As you can see this clearly, I believe that this establishes the ability of church leaders to absolve sins in Jesus's name. Today, in the 21st century, the sacrament of reconciliation is seen as a continuation of this. Then we have in James chapter five, verses 15 and 16, we hear the encouragement of believers to, quote, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed, end quote.

Julie South [00:06:07]:
This provides the biblical basis for verbally, for us saying out loud, audibly confessing our transgressions to a priest for absolution and healing. Then in two Corinthians, two Corinthians, chapter five, verse 18, one eight, there's the reference to the ministry of Reconciliation entrusted to Jesus's representatives. This points to confession as the means by which reconciliation between God and his people is facilitated. Priests hear confessions as part of this ongoing ministry of reconciliation. And then in verses like Matthew chapter nine, verse eight, and Luke chapter five, verse 24, we have accounts of Jesus forgiving sins as a man, as a person, a human person, not only as God. This establishes, therefore, the power to forgive sins that was delegated to human beings as well, specifically, and especially to the apostles and their successors. Today, our priests thus act in Persona Christi when offering sacramental absolution. So if you've ever wondered about where reconciliation is mentioned in the Bible, or maybe some of your other christian denomination friends who don't have this beautiful sacrament as part of their tradition, like us Catholics do, if they ask, you can understand a little bit of its background and its biblical basis to have a chat with them about, or at least refer to them.

Julie South [00:07:50]:
If you don't feel comfortable doing that, refer them to those passages in the Bible that I've mentioned here. In short, Jesus established the means for church leaders, for our priests to forgive sins in his name, and the Bible encourages the practice of confessing transgressions to one another, to each other. Our catholic Sacrament of Reconciliation incorporates both of these elements, intentional verbal and oral spoken confession of sins to a priest, who then offers counsel, guidance, and God's forgiveness because he is that priest is in Persona Christi. All of this aligns confession with the biblical call for reconciliation between God and his people, us, you and me. Tune in next week where we'll have another top level look at other christian traditions and reconciliation or not. So that will be part three of answering this question about reconciliation. Please remember that I'm only too happy to answer any questions your might have about becoming catholic because remember, I have become catholic. I haven't always been catholic or why Catholics do what they do.

Julie South [00:09:09]:
You can send me your questions@yourcatholiccorner.com contact this coming Sunday, the fifth Sunday of Lent, we're reading from the Book of Jeremiah, chapter 31, verses 31 through 34. The Book of Hebrews, chapter five, verses seven, eight and nine, and then John's gospel, chapter twelve, verses 20 through 30. The what are the connecting themes on this Sunday? Let's have a look. They all share the interwoven themes of the covenant, which is God's promise of sacrifice and of obedience that lead to the transformed relationships between God and his people, which can include and does include us. In Jeremiah 31, we hear revelations about a new covenant that will be written inwardly on human hearts. This contrasts with the external, superficial old covenant, this significant and very personal covenant, a promise that's far more than a promise means everyone will know God in their hearts. You and me we will know, coupled with that are that sins are wholly forgiven and forgotten forever. Hebrews five refers to Jesus as the consummate high priest, offering prayers and supplications with cries and tears in reverent submission to God's will.

Julie South [00:11:00]:
Despite being God's son, Jesus learned sacrificial obedience by suffering, and we, as we all know, he truly suffered. Jesus perfection, free from sin, enables him to bring about a new eternal covenant between humanity and God. And then in John's Gospel, in John twelve, chapter twelve, we hear the recounting of Jesus, forecasting how his impending death by crucifixion will draw all people to himself. Like a seed that falls, dies, and bears much fruit, this imagery shows the spiritual abundance resulting from Christ's sacrifice. From Jesus'sacrifice. Jesus invites people then to serve and follow him closely. He promises them eternal unity with him for that. Now let's have a look at the typology.

Julie South [00:12:00]:
Remember, typology is where events in the Old Testament are seen as prefigurations or types of events in the New Testament. So that's what ties these Sunday readings together. The Old Testament, the first reading from the Old Testament, and the last reading, the Gospel reading from the New Testament. This Sunday we have in the first reading from Jeremiah is the new covenant of inward transformation, prefiguring the close serving relationships with Jesus depicted in John's gospel reading. In the second reading from Hebrews, the focus on jesus'suffering, obedience, and subsequent enablement of salvation that echoes with Jeremiah's prophecy that God's forgiveness flows from the Messiah's sacrifice. Then John's imagery of Jesus's death initiating fruitfulness corresponds to the closeness, the knowledge and the forgiveness associated with Jeremiah's new covenant. In short, this means that we have three Bible passages showing transition from the limitations of the old covenant to the accessibility of a new covenant founded on Christ's perfect sacrifice. This in turn brings forgiveness or inner renewal and the deepest possible knowledge of God to all willing people, to you and to me.

Julie South [00:13:36]:
This forgiveness is available to us if to you and to me if we but just have faith and reliance on God. This inner renewal is available to us to you and me if we but just have faith and reliance on God. And this deepest possible knowledge is also available to us to your and me if we but just have faith and reliance on God is the backdrop. Now let's pray together with the three Bible passages for this, the fifth Sunday of lent in year Baniah. See, the days are coming. It is the Lord who speaks. When I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. But not a covenant like the one I made with their ancestors.

Julie South [00:14:52]:
On the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant of mine. So I had to show them who was master. It is the Lord who speaks. No, this is a covenant I will make with the house of Israel. When those days arrive, it is the Lord who speaks deep within them. I will plant my law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Julie South [00:15:24]:
There will be no further need for neighbor to try to teach neighbor or brother to say to brother, learn to know the Lord, know they will all know me. The least, know less than the greatest. It is the Lord who speaks, since I will forgive their iniquity and never call their sin to mind the word of the Lord. A reading from the book of Hebrews. During his life on earth, Christ offered up prayer and entreaty aloud and in silent tears to the one who had the power to save him out of death. And he submitted so humbly that his prayer was heard. Although he was son, he learnt to obey through suffering. But having been made perfect, he became, for all who obey him, the source of external salvation, the word of the Lord.

Julie South [00:16:48]:
A reading from the gospel of John. Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. These approached Philip, who came from Epithsaida in Galilee, and put this request to him. Sir, we should like to see Jesus. Philip went to tell Andrew, and Andrew and Philip together went to tell Jesus. Jesus replied to them, now the hour has come for the son of man to be glorified. I tell you most solemnly, unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain. But if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.

Julie South [00:17:27]:
Anyone who loves his life loses it. Anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If a man serves me, he must follow me wherever I am, my servant will be there too. If anyone serves me, my father will honor him. Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But it was for this very reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.

Julie South [00:18:01]:
A voice came from heaven. I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again. People standing by who heard this said it was a clap of thunder. Others said it was an angel speaking to him. Jesus answered, it was not for my sake that this voice came, but for your now sentence is being passed on this world. Now the prince of this world is to be overthrown. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all men to myself. By these words, he indicated the kind of death he would die.

Julie South [00:18:39]:
The gospel of the Lord close sang to you. Remember that when we each hear God differently, it's because of what's going on in our lives at the time. What God is saying to me might not be what God is saying to you. What about you? What was God saying to you? Let's kick off with having a look at some metaphors with the Old Testament passage from Jeremiah. The metaphor is writing the law on hearts. So how can we apply that? Well, the top level is that we as Catholic are encouraged to internalize our faith and our relationship with God. It happens on our hearts. This means moving simply beyond following rules like the Pharisees did in Jesus'time.

Julie South [00:19:47]:
Instead, it's about letting our beliefs shape who we are from the inside out. As Catholics, as Christians, as human beings, this means living with integrity, where our actions reflect what we believe. When it comes to love, mercy and justice, then in the New Testament passage from Hebrews, Christ's obedience through suffering, the metaphor there is that Jesus, as the obedient son, learns himself through suffering. The application one way that we could apply this is for us to find meaning in our own struggles. When we do this, it'll unite us with Jesus's suffering. And this is where we can see challenges in our lives as opportunities for growth and opportunities to deepen our faith. Following and trusting God's will, even when we're up to our neck in alligators, is difficult. It is seen as a path to spiritual maturity and salvation.

Julie South [00:20:57]:
Then we have, in John's gospel, we've got the grain of wheat. The metaphor there is dying to self like a grain of wheat to produce fruit. So how do we apply that? Well, we've got the passage encouraging Catholic to embrace self sacrifice for the good of others. That suggests that true life and growth come through self giving love. This might mean putting others'needs before our own or working for social justice even when it's not convenient. Okay, so what does all that mean, Julie? What might God be saying to us? How can I take something that's been written and said more than 2000 years ago and make it relevant here in my life, right now, in this digital world today? Let's have a look. How about if we look after our own personal transformation just as God's law is written on the hearts in the new covenant between God and his people. That means surely so too can we strive to let our faith in God transform our hearts and mind from the inside out, so that it influences absolutely every decision and action we take actually to make it, also to influence every thought we have.

Julie South [00:22:20]:
We can perhaps also learn to be more patient and have more fortitude, more grit. Like Jesus who learned obedience through suffering. So too can we approach our own trials with patience. Those times when we're up to our neck and alligators. Those times when we think that God isn't listening to us. Instead, we can trust in our hearts. We can learn to trust because it's one of those simple but not easy things. So we can learn to trust in our hearts that God's present and he's working for our good in our lives, even when we don't think he is, even when we can't see it, even when perhaps we can't see him.

Julie South [00:23:05]:
All we can see are the alligators. So that's about patience and fortitude. And then, of course we can learn to live your lives more generously than we are now. That's about taking the metaphor of a grain of wheat to heart. We can live generously. We can share our time, our God given talents, and our God given blessings and treasures with others. When we do this with love and generosity. And we do it because we know that this type of sacrifice will ultimately lead to our greater good and our spiritual growth.

Julie South [00:23:43]:
So that's me. What about you? What was God saying to you? I hope you found all this interesting, helpful, spiritually guiding. I hope this podcast helps you prepare and maybe even understand just a teeny, tiny, incy wincy dinky bit better, the wonderful word of God and the catholic faith. Thank you for spending the last half an hour or so of your life with God and me. I pray that each of these Bible passages has been able to make a difference that God wishes for you today in their own way in your life. Thank you for getting this far. Can I ask you to do me a huge favor? Please? If you enjoyed today's show, if you found it helpful, can you please help me spread God's word about your catholic corner? All you have to do is tell three of your friends or family about this podcast so they can hopefully benefit as well. Letting them know about it is really easy.

Julie South [00:24:56]:
Just invite them to visit yourcatholiccorner.com where they can subscribe and follow the show for free. From there, it doesn't cost anything. Thank you for doing that. And wherever you are. Peace be with you. I pray that God's glass of love overflows in your heart and your life, and that when you're ready, you're able to accept God's invitation to you to join him to share in holy communion at your local parish. And finally, I'd like to say thank you for the parishioners, or to the parishioners of the cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton, New Zealand, who helped me bring this podcast to you today. This is Julie south signing off.

Julie South [00:25:44]:
Peace be with you. God bless.