The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 230: A New Heart (2022)

Episode Date: August 18, 2022

Reflecting on the stubbornness of the Israelites' hearts from today's readings, Fr. Mike teaches us that we cannot always trust our imperfect hearts, because they are not always aligned God's law and will, and they can often lead us into false worship. However, we can rely on God who promises to give us a new heart so that we can do what we ought. Today's readings are Jeremiah 7, Ezekiel 36, and Proverbs 14:29-32. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of Scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using the Great Adventure Bible Timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation. Discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today, it is day 230. My gosh, you guys, we have 105 days. Is that what it is? 365? 135 days. I can't do math until the end of the year. But today it is day 230 and we're reading

from Jeremiah chapter 7, Ezekiel chapter 36, and Proverbs chapter 14, verses 29 through 32. As always, the Bible translation that I am reading from is the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition. I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. If you want to download your own Bible in a Year reading plan, you can visit ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a Year. You can also subscribe to this podcast by clicking on subscribe and receiving daily episodes and updates. It is day 230, 135 more days, because right, 365 minus 230, roughly 135, give or take. I'm no genius nor mathematician. And yet I do know that we are today reading from Jeremiah chapter 7,

Ezekiel chapter 36 and Proverbs 14 verses 29 through 32. The book of the prophet Jeremiah chapter 7, impending punishment of Judah. The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, stand in the gate from the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave of

old to your fathers forever. Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known? And then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered, only to go on doing all these abominations me in this house, which is called by my name and say, we are delivered only to go on doing all these abominations. Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, says the Lord. Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.

And now, because you have done all these things, says the Lord, and when I spoke to you persistently, you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer. Therefore I will do to the house which is called by my name, and in which you trust, and to the place which I gave to you and to your fathers as I did to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of my sight as I cast out all your kinsmen, all the offspring of Ephraim. The people's disobedience. As for you, do not pray for this people or lift up cry or prayer for them and do not intercede with me, for I do not hear you. Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather the wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women for I do not hear you. Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather the wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough

to make cakes for the queen of heaven, and they pour out drink offerings to other gods to provoke me to anger. Is it I whom they provoke, says the Lord? Is it not themselves to their own confusion? Therefore, thus says the Lord God, behold, my anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, upon man and beast, upon the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground. It will burn and not be quenched. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, add to your burnt offerings, to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you

shall be my people, and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you. But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil hearts and went backward and not forward. From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants, the prophets to them day after day,

yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. And you shall say to them, this is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God and did not accept discipline. Truth has perished. It is cut off from their lips. Cut off your hair and cast it away. Raise a lamentation on the bare heights, for the Lord has rejected and forsaken the generation of

his wrath. For the sons of Judah have done evil in my sight, says the Lord. They have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name to defile it. And they have built the high place of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind. Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when it will no more be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter. For they will bury in Topheth, because there is no room elsewhere. And the dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the air and for the

beasts of the earth, and none will frighten them away. And I will make to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, for the land shall become a waste. The book of the prophet Ezekiel, chapter 36, blessings on Israel. And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God, because the enemy said of you, aha, and the ancient heights have become our possession. Therefore prophesy and say, thus says the Lord God, because yes, because they made you desolate

and crushed you from all sides so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations and you became the talk and evil gossip of the people. Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God. Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and the hills, the ravines and the valleys, the desolate wastes and the deserted cities, which have become a prey and derision to the rest of the nations round about. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, I speak in my hot jealousy against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who gave my land to themselves as a possession with wholehearted

joy and utter contempt that they might possess it and plunder it. Therefore, prophesy concerning the land of Israel and say to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys, thus says the Lord God, behold, I speak in my jealous wrath, because you have suffered the reproach of the nations. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, I swear that the nations that are round about you shall themselves suffer reproach. But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel, for they will soon come home. For behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, Verse 2. man and beast, and they shall increase and be fruitful, and I will cause you to be inhabited as in former times, and will do more good to you than ever before, then you will know that I am

the Lord. Yes, I will let men walk upon you, even my people Israel, and they shall possess you, and you shall be their inheritance, and you shall no longer bereave them of children. Thus says the Lord God, because men say to you, you devour men, and you bereave them of children. Thus says the Lord God, because men say to you, you devour men and you bereave your nation of children. Therefore, you shall no longer devour men and no longer bereave your nation of children, says the Lord God. And I will not let you hear anymore

the reproach of the nations and you shall no longer bear the disgrace of the peoples and no longer cause your nation to stumble, says the Lord God. A new heart and a new spirit. The word of the Lord came to me, son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their doings. Their conduct before me was like the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity. So I poured out my wrath upon them for the blood which they had shed in the land, for the idols with which they had defiled it. I scattered them among the nations,

and they were dispersed through the countries. In accordance with their conduct and their deeds, I judged them. But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that men said of them, These are the people of the Lord, and yet they had to go out of his land. But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel caused to be profaned among the nations to which they came. Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God, It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among

the nations and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, says the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you

and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put within you, and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. You shall dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses, and I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. Then you will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good,

and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominable deeds. It is not for your sake that I will act, says the Lord God. Let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord God, On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt, and the land that was desolate shall be tilled instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by.

And they will say, Then the nations that are left round about you shall know that I, the Lord, have rebuilt the ruined places, and replanted that which was desolate. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it. Thus says the Lord God, This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them, to increase their men like a flock, like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the Lord. Proverbs chapter 14 verses 29 through 32. He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh, but passion makes the bones rot. He who oppresses a poor man insults his maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him. The wicked is overthrown through his evil doing, but the righteous find refuge through his integrity. Father in heaven, we give you praise and we give you glory. And we thank you so much every day for your word, every day for your faithfulness to us and also for your reminding us, not only of our need to be faithful to you,

but to be attentive to the people around us. Lord God, in Jeremiah, you highlight how your people failed to take care of the needy, the poor, the orphan, those without fathers, without mothers. And here in the book of Proverbs, you also note that those who oppress a poor man insults our maker, and then we insult you. But he who is kind to the needy honors the Lord. And Lord God, we want to be those kind. But he who is kind to the needy honors the Lord. And Lord God, we want to be those kind of people that are not blind to the need of the people around us, not deaf to the cries of the poor, but take the time to see, to note, and to act. Help us to never be false children to you. Help us to always be children who are like you, not only in our thought and speech, but also in our actions.

Help us to be your image in this world. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen. Gosh, you guys, I would have to tell you that Jeremiah chapter 7 and Ezekiel chapter 36, they can't get any better. I keep thinking every day we've been reading this, and it's just that sense of it can't get any better. And then here's today. And it's just even so powerful, so profound, just knock your socks off and kind of, it's crazy. So here's what I mean by it's crazy. Here is Jeremiah. Remember that Jeremiah, he's preaching right now at a time of reform. Remember Josiah was the king who reformed all the things. He reformed the temple. He reformed temple worship. But it's said that archaeologists have found more idols, more false gods in the homes of people that date back to the reign of Josiah than almost any other time period.

Because here's the king and the king is saying, no, we got to get back to the temple. We got to worship the Lord like he deserves. And yet the people on the ground, the people in their homes were like, okay, fine. That's fine, king. We'll do that. We'll go to the temple as you're telling us to do. That okay, fine. That's fine, King. We'll do that. We'll go to the temple as you're telling us to do. That's a good thing because I guess we're Jewish and stuff like that. But in their homes, their hearts were far from the Lord.

And in their homes, they had not repented. Even though Josiah was leading this massive reform, they had not been reformed. And so what were we trusting? And we're trusting. No, but God promised. God promised that he would be here in our midst. He'd be his presence, would abide here. And this is the worship that he's asked for. And we're trusting. No, but God promised. God promised that he would be here in our midst. He'd be, his presence would abide here. And this is the worship that he's asked for.

And listen to this. This is crazy. Chapter seven of Jeremiah. Thus says the Lord of hosts is the beginning of the chapter in verses three, four, three and four. It says, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, amend your ways and your doings. And I will let you dwell in this place. Do not trust.

This is a key thing. Do not trust in these deceptive words. This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. Basically, I mean, think about this. God's dwelling is in Jerusalem, right? That this is out of all places on the earth, out of all places on the earth. This is where God has said, I will not only abide, but this is the place to offer sacrifice. This is the place where I will receive your sacrifice. And this is the sacrifice that I'm asking for. And so the Jewish people, they know they're a chosen people. They are the chosen people.

I mean, this is massive. I don't think that too many modern people, modern Christians especially, can really fully understand the place and the importance of the temple. Because here are the people of Israel and they're saying, listen, I know things are kind of going to heck in a handbasket, but this is the temple of the Lord. We're the chosen

people. God has made his promise to be with us forever. And therefore we have nothing to be afraid of. Even as you're doing evil, you're oppressing the alien. You're oppressing the fatherless and the widow. You're shedding innocent blood. You're going after other gods to your own hurt. You think I'm going to do this and then I'll let you dwell in this place. In verse 12, he says, go now to my place that was in Shiloh. Remember, that was a place where offering was made, sacrifice was made. He said, go now to that place in Shiloh where I made my name dwell at first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. Basically, I take my presence away from them. Listen, if you're going to keep rejecting me, fine, I will give you what you've asked for. And this is such a reminder for all

of us, especially, I know there's a lot of people who are part of this community who aren't Catholic Christians, but I know there are a lot of us who are Catholic Christians. And so many of us, we can say, looking at history, you know, looking, we already read through the gospel of Matthew. We saw Matthew 16, how Jesus had said, new Simon, now your name is Peter. Your name is now rock. And upon this rock, I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. So we recognize that historically speaking, theologically speaking, it's a fact that Jesus Christ established the Catholic church.

And yet too many of us, too many Catholics can say, oh, no, but Jesus founded the church. Yeah, I'm Catholic. I'm not really belonging fully to the Lord, but you know, Jesus founded the church or we have the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, right? We already read from the, actually haven't read real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, right? We already read from the, actually we haven't read Matthew yet, or in the gospel of John, we covered that in John chapter six, where Jesus makes it so clear that the Eucharist, right? And what happens at the mass is truly his body, blood, soul, and divinity. And Catholics, we can be on our laurels and say, well, yeah, but we have the

Eucharist. Yeah. We're not conformed to Christ. We're not bringing Jesus to the world. Like a lot of our non-Catholic Christians are where, yeah, we're not doing all these things. We're not living up to the call of our Heavenly Father, but we have the Eucharist. And gosh, you guys, this is so convicting of Jeremiah chapter 7, because what Jeremiah is saying to that people is, yes, here's the Lord's presence in the temple, but you are not worshiping him and you are not serving him in the way that he's asked you to. And this is true for us Catholics. Yeah, we have the Eucharist. Yes, Jesus established the Catholic church,

but if we're not conforming our lives to that reality, that truth, then we're trusting in the wrong stuff. We're trusting in the wrong things. And this is now expand this to all Christians. Okay, so I know our community is more than just Catholic Christians. And so I'm so glad, so grateful for all those who are not Catholic, but who are Christians who are part of this,

because even then all of us can say, well, yeah, but I have the grace of Jesus and I'm covered by the blood of the lamb. And so therefore I can be kind of cavalier with my sin. And here is Jeremiah, who's not only calling out the people of Israel at the time, the people of Judah at the time, but he's speaking directly to us. And listen to this. Here's what he describes. He describes the people's disobedience. And this is in chapter seven, obviously, but verse 17 and following, he says, do you not see what they're doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? He says, the children gathered the wood, the fathers kindled the fire and the women need dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven. He says, the children gather the wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes

for the queen of heaven. And they pour out drink offerings to other gods to provoke me to anger. He says, basically, it's a family affair. You know the kids? Yeah, the whole thing, this idolatry, this turning away from the Lord, this being completely lax to the reality

of the true and living God. Children gather the wood, fathers kindle the fire, the women knead the dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven. Basically, to worship these false gods. In fact, the queen of heaven would be a reference mostly to like, say, what we'd call now like the goddess Venus, that kind of goddess, the goddess of love, whatnot. It's a family affair. And entire families have turned away from worship of the true and living God, turned away from following the true and living God, and they're united in their idolatry. Ah, this doesn't stop there. It goes on. He says, they did not obey me or incline their ear. They walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness

of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. They walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts went backward and not forward. You know, some of the worst piece of advice I think anyone's ever uttered on this planet is follow your heart. That is just the dumbest thing I've ever heard anyone say. I mean, I know that in some context, it might be accurate. In some contexts, it might be appropriate. In some ways, we might say that, yeah, that's a good path of just kind of recognizing what's going on in my heart. But here is the word of the Lord that declares like, no, oftentimes our hearts are distorted, right? Oftentimes our hearts are set on

things that are not good for us. Oftentimes our hearts are not aligned with the word of the Lord or the law of the Lord. And so what these people have done, just like ourselves, says they did not obey or incline their ear to my voice, but they walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts. And that is, man, so often me, right? You know, I remember hearing a man who works at a place called Franciscan University of Steubenville, and he said, you know, the first two movements of conversion, first two movements of conversion are distrust of self and trust in the Lord. And I think, yes, yes, that's exactly it.

First two movements of conversion, distrust of self and trust in the Lord. And I think, yes, yes, that's exactly it. First two movements of conversion, distrust of self and trust in the Lord. I recognize that I can't be trusted to belong to Christ. I can't be trusted to always choose the right thing. I can't be trusted with the gifts that he's given me in Christ Jesus. And yet I can trust in the Lord, even in my brokenness, even in my weakness, even my faithlessness, I can still trust in the Lord. And the last word here, of course, is this thing that keeps being brought up in the prophets, because it's like, it starts in these small ways, right? It starts in these ways of like, I have to take God's presence for granted, take the fact that he's chosen us for granted. And then we start worshiping other gods. They start giving our hearts to other gods. We start following our own hearts. And then it goes on to say, and this is verse 31 of chapter seven, it says, and they have built the high place of Topheth, which

is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, right near the valley of Gehenna. That's what it's called. Hinnom is the valley of Gehenna to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind. Remember that this false worship, this led to oftentimes the valley of Hinnom or the valley of Gehenna, where people offered their own children, their own innocent sons and daughters, and burned them in the fire to worship this false god. This is how bad it's gotten. And recognizing, remember, this is Jeremiah, who's prophesying a generation in advance before the destruction and fall of Jerusalem. And here in Ezekiel 36, this is after that destruction and fall of Jerusalem. Let's keep this in mind.

In chapter 36, it talks about the blessings on Israel. And he says, you O mountains of Israel, this is chapter 36, verse 8, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit for my people Israel. They will soon come home. Remember, they're in exile. It's already had the third wave of exile where the temple has been destroyed. The city has been destroyed. And he says, but here's a word for behold, I am with you and I will turn to you and you shall be tilled and sown. And I will multiply men upon you. The whole house of Israel, all of it, the cities shall be inhabited and the waste places rebuilt. Ah, what incredible word to end on today. For behold, I am for you and I will turn to you. This is the word that we need to hear. You guys, I haven't even

touched on a new heart, new spirit, which is incredible. One of the most powerful, powerful parts of scripture where the Lord God says through Ezekiel, a new heart I will give you, a new spirit I will put within you. I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you the heart of flesh. I'll put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. You shall dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers and you shall be my people and I will be your God. Oh gosh, so good. But also one of the things that we hear is that with that new heart, with that new heart, remember the broken heart of Jeremiah,

the deceitful heart of Jeremiah. He's going to talk about the heart again a couple of times, but that deceitful heart of Jeremiah that we cannot trust. Here, the Lord God says, again, put a new heart within you. And now keep in mind that this is not a new heart that I can trust completely. This is a new heart that will do what? That will cause us to walk in the Lord's statutes and be careful to observe his ordinances. It's not a new heart that I can do whatever I want now. It is a new heart so I can do what I ought. And that is so incredible.

Because without God's grace, none of us can do what we ought. None of us can do the right thing without God's grace. And so here is the promised new heart, the promised new spirit in Ezekiel. And we just thank the Lord for that gift. And also for that final word, or maybe not the final word, but a word I want to end on. For behold, even in the midst of all this destruction, even in the midst of all this woundedness and faithlessness, even in the midst of our brokenness, for behold, God says, I am for you and I will turn to you. After they've turned

away from him, after they've been false, he says, I am for you. And that's what the Lord says to you today. Even in the midst of sin, even in the midst of us living lives that do not honor the Lord, he declares, I am for you and I am with you. I myself am praying for you as well. Please pray for me because it's a long road and it's a great road. It's an incredible road,

but it can often be a hard road. So we need each other's prayers. And that's why this community is such a blessing to pray for each other and for me to pray for you and for you to pray for me. My name is Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you tomorrow. God bless.