This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations, other relevant scriptures, and to collections of scriptures addressing the same principles. Text highlighted in yellow tells us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do. Text in red tells describes what God wants us to avoid. Commentary is in blue.
Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth! a man of strife and contention to all the land! I neither borrow nor lend, yet all curse me.
When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart, because I bore your name, O LORD, God of hosts. I did not sit celebrating in the circle of merrymakers; under the weight of your hand I sat alone because you filled me with indignation.
Why is my pain continuous, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook, whose waters do not abide!
Thus the LORD answered me: If you repent, so that I restore you, in my presence you shall stand; if you bring forth the precious without the vile, you shall be my mouthpiece. Then it shall be they who turn to you, and you shall not turn to them; and I will make you toward this people a solid wall of brass. Though they fight against you, they shall not prevail, for I am with you, to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD.I will free you from the hand of the wicked, and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.
This passage, like today’s (and yesterday's) gospel, shows that we will face tough, difficult, things in this life. We are not exempted from such things by sincere belief in/service to God. That dynamic is frankly acknowledged in John 16:33, 1 Peter 4:12-13, and Sirach 2. See also 1 Corinthians 10:13.
As in today’s gospel and psalm, a true believer responds to difficult circumstances by pouring his concerns/emotions/feelings out to God.
As in today’s gospel, it appears that the believer does not fully understand what is going on, why he is going through what he is going through.
As in today’s gospel, God does not recoil from or get angry with the believer, but instead helps him understand/deal with what he is facing.
As in today’s (and yesterday's) gospel, God encourages the believer by focusing him on the good that is on the other side of the current difficulty. We see that same dynamic in Romans 8:18 and 2 Corinthians 4:17-18.
As in today’s gospel, God turns the believer’s distress to the good:
- By instructing/encouraging/refocusing him.
- By using this incident to instruct/console/encourage many, many, more folks since then through this scripture.
As in today’s gospel, most of the good that God brings forth from this difficult situation flowed to folks other than the believer.
R. (17d) Godis my refuge on the day of distress.
Rescue me from my enemies, O my God; from my adversaries defend me.
Rescue me from evildoers; from bloodthirsty men save me.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
For behold, they lie in wait for my life; mighty men come together against me, Not for any offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! for you I watch; for you, O God, are my stronghold,
As for my God, may his mercy go before me; may he show me the fall of my foes.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
But I will sing of your strength and revel at dawn in your mercy;
You have been my stronghold, my refuge in the day of distress.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! your praise will I sing; for you, O God, are my stronghold, my merciful God!
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
Rescue me from my enemies, O my God; from my adversaries defend me.
Rescue me from evildoers; from bloodthirsty men save me.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
For behold, they lie in wait for my life; mighty men come together against me, Not for any offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! for you I watch; for you, O God, are my stronghold,
As for my God, may his mercy go before me; may he show me the fall of my foes.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
But I will sing of your strength and revel at dawn in your mercy;
You have been my stronghold, my refuge in the day of distress.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! your praise will I sing; for you, O God, are my stronghold, my merciful God!
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
As in today’s gospel and first reading, a true believer responds to difficult circumstances by pouring his concerns/emotions/feelings out to God.
Other scriptures discussing the fact that God is our refuge are collected at Wisdom Principles—God is a Refuge for Those Who Love Him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died]. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.”
Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.”
Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”
Martha gives us a good example of how to respond to difficult circumstances:
- She went to Jesus, she sought Him out
- She poured out her thoughts, feelings, to Him
- She engaged with Him, letting Him lead her in her processing/understanding/responding to the situation
Jesus is gracious to her. He does not get upset about her accusatory/complaining statement or upbraid her about her lack of understanding of what is going on. Instead, He helps her to understand and deal with the situation.
Martha’s confusion and emotions show that even those very close to Jesus (as she was) can be confused about and upset by what He is doing.
the LORD answered me
repent, so that I restore you, in my presence you shall stand
I am with you, to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD
I will free you from the hand of the wicked, and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.
Godis my refuge on the day of distress.
God is my refuge on the day of distress.
God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength!
God is my refuge on the day of distress.
God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength!
you, O God, are my stronghold,
his mercy
his mercy
God is my refuge on the day of distress.
your strength
your strength
God is my refuge on the day of distress.
my strength!
my strength!
you, O God, are my stronghold,
my merciful God!
God is my refuge on the day of distress.
my merciful God!
God is my refuge on the day of distress.
I am the light of the world
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
I am the resurrection and the life
I am the resurrection and the life
whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.
you are the Christ
the Son of God
the one who is coming into the world
When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart
I bore your name
Repent
bring forth the precious without the vile,
for you I watch
you, O God, are my stronghold,sing of your strength
your praise will I sing
you, O God, are my stronghold,
follows me
she went to meet him
Martha said to Jesus
celebrating in the circle of merrymakers
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