August 17, 2025

Dear Parishioners,

Some people will love the readings this weekend. Some will hate them. All three readings this weekend are about taking action, speaking out, and being a prophet. Jeremiah speaks the unpopular truth and gets thrown into prison for it. Hebrews tells us to surround ourselves in the cloud of witnesses and be a martyr. Jesus says that he has come to set the earth on fire and turn family members against each other.

There are those of you out there who are born to be prophets. I know many of you. You care deeply about issues, whether they be issues in society, issues in the church, issues in your own family. You can’t just sit silent. You feel called to say something, to speak the truth. It hurts to be rejected or persecuted for speaking the truth, but you’d rather suffer those consequences than let the injustice continue. So, you will resonate with the readings this weekend.

Then there are those of you out there who are not prophets. You are peacemakers. I know many of you too. Not being a prophet doesn’t make you a bad person or a sinner or whatever. Not at all. Those who are born to be prophets have a gift. That is their calling, and it is different from yours. You, the peacemaker, see connecting with people, building relationships, and exercising empathy and love as more of a priority. You might let some things slide in order to accomplish this communion. Jesus does say, after all, “blessed are the peacemakers.” So, you will not resonate with the readings this weekend.

Both groups of people are “right,” those who are prophets and those who are peacemakers. Jesus is a prophet at times–setting the earth on fire with difficult preaching, attacking Pharisees for their hypocrisy, forcing Peter and the apostles to leave their families and careers behind to follow him. But he’s also a peacemaker at times–dining with tax-collectors and prostitutes, bringing together a giant crowd to feed them, and paying unjust taxes to the temple and to Rome rather than rocking the boat. So, again, not everyone is meant to be a prophet and not everyone is meant to be a peacemaker.

However, as I wrote last week about the Five Prayer Types and how we should try to incorporate all of them in our life, if we are a prophet, there are times we are called to be peacemakers, and vice versa. So, for the prophets out there: use prudence and discernment. There are some hills you are not meant to die on. Also, when you preach, you are meant to speak the truth in love. You’re not just there to cut someone down and give the truth apart from the person’s circumstances and then leave them be. No, you’re called to adapt your message and love their heart, rather than just deliver the content. Are you more concerned about getting your message across and being right? Or are you concerned about the person’s heart and do you truly want what’s best for them? Have you really prayed for them?

For the peacemakers out there: ask for courage and strength. There are times you can’t let something go on and enable someone in a harmful way of thinking or acting. We can’t always take the path of least resistance and look for comfort and popularity. The way of the cross is a hard way, and we need to be challenged. You who have been given the grace to pick up your cross and live well need to help others pick up theirs. Do you have a goal in mind when you are building peace and communion, and does that goal point to Jesus Christ and salvation? Or is the goal just to have concord? Are you really listening to what Jesus is calling you to do?

Prophets and peacemakers, fire and water, Lennon and McCartney. Jesus likes both. He was both, and so are we. (Again, email me and tell me what you are.) It all goes to show there are many roads to the Kingdom of God.

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SPC School starts this week. We will have a Back-to-School Mass this Sunday, August 17th at 4pm in the Upper Church, followed by an ice cream social outside. Wednesday, August 20th is the first day for K-8; Thursday for pre-K. My prayers for all of our teachers, parents, and students. And my prayers as well for high schoolers and college students. God is with you. Turn to him if you ever feel alone or stressed.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. James Wallace