Aug 5 – Memorial for Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome
First raised at the order of Pope Liberius in the mid-fourth century, the Liberian Basilica was rebuilt by Pope Sixtus III shortly after the Council of Ephesus affirmed Mary’s title as Mother of God in 431. Re-dedicated at that time to the Mother of God, St. Mary Major is the largest church in the world honouring God through Mary.
St. Mary Major is one of the four Roman basilicas known as patriarchal cathedrals in memory of the first centres of the Church. This basilica represents the See of Antioch, where Mary is supposed to have spent most of her life.
– http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1098.
Jer 28:1-17
Mt 14:13-21
‘You can break wooden yokes? Right, I will make them iron yokes instead!’
Brothers and sisters, this is the first time I have read the story of Jeremiah and the lying prophet Hananiah. I was amazed by how Jeremiah so patiently responded to Hananiah’s public disrespect of him speaking the truth. And I was encouraged that God’s truth always grows stronger, especially in the face of resistance.
Hananiah was falsely proclaiming a message of peace and safety to the Israelites – claiming inter alia that within two years God would bring back all the vessels which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon had taken away from Israel. This flatly contradicted what Jeremiah had warned the people – that the Israelites would be held captive by the Babylonians for 70 years. It is thus no surprise that many of the Israelites, even the priests, preferred to be deceived by Hananiah’s false prophecies.
Instead of defending his position in front of the priests and all the people in the temple after Hananiah falsely claimed that Israel will be saved in two years, Jeremiah’s first response is “I hope so”. Jeremiah too preferred that the Israelites be saved in a much shorter time. However, Jeremiah knew that his role was not to sugarcoat and lie about God’s plan to make it more appealing to the Israelites. He communicates what God wants him to say: “…the prophet who prophesies peace can only be recognised as one truly sent by the Lord when his word comes true”.
Hananiah, still unrepentant, uses this opportunity to arrogantly legitimise his false prophecy. In front of all the people, he takes the wooden yoke off Jeremiah’s neck and breaks it, stating that the Lord will break within two full years the rule of king Nebuchadnezzar. Again, instead of disputing Hananiah’s false claim on the spot, Jeremiah walks away from Hananiah’s act of aggression. Jeremiah leaves it to God to prove who was the true prophet.
God later sends Jeremiah to Hananiah again to “speak to him” – to warn him that by his disobedience, Hananiah was strengthening God’s wrath against him: exchanging yokes of wood for yokes of iron. Jeremiah then tells Hananiah to “listen carefully” and recognise the errors of his ways of deceiving the Israelites. Jeremiah also warns Hananiah that he will die that year since he preached apostasy from the Lord. God could have killed Hananiah there and then. Instead, he gives Hananiah two months to repent and obey God’s word.
May we learn from this story that it is Hananiah’s complete desertion of the truth that ultimately led him to his death. And let us boldly proclaim God’s word like Jeremiah, even when met with resistance. For the truth not only gets stronger in such situations; it always prevails.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Stacey Fernandez)
Prayer: Jesus, I pray that I have the courage to speak your truth and to walk away from false prophets.
Thanksgiving: Jesus, thank you for your compassion in giving me many opportunities to redirect my heart to seeking what is good and right. Thank you for giving me signs both in scripture and daily life that your truth prevails.
OXYGEN 
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