Thursday of the
Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Jeremiah 18:1-6; Matthew 13:47-53)
Next week will
mark the seventy-fifth anniversary of the atomic bomb’s use in war. It was a shameful event. Not only did the bombs over Hiroshima and
Nagasaki target civilians; they also violated the principle of proportion in
war. Many defend the bombings as hastening
the end of the war and hence reducing casualties. Other want to hold President Truman responsible
for mass murder. Neither approach seems
promising of positive resolution. Perhaps
a more valuable lesson can be derived by reflecting on the bombings in light of
today’s first reading.
Seeing the potter mold, trash, and remake clay pots until
he has it just right, the prophet thinks of God working on Israel. Because the nation has not lived up to its
promise as God’s people, it will be trashed.
God will then start over to build a new nation that is just. The United States should consider allowing
God to do the same with it. It primal
sins of slavery and nuclear bombing call for repentance. Also in order is coordinated effort to correct
the prejudices that led to such outrages.
We can begin the project now. We need to recall how we have allowed personal
prejudices to cause harm. We also should
ask forgiveness for our misuse of power.
Finally, we need to pray for those we have hurt and also for our
children. The former that they may have
recovered from mistreatment. And the
latter that they will have learned by our mistakes.
