Daily Readings - Fri Apr 12 2019
Jeremiah
7O LORD, you have deceived me, and I was deceived; you are stronger than I, and you have prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; everyone mocks me.10For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! "Denounce him! Let us denounce him!" say all my close friends, watching for my fall. "Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him."11But the LORD is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten.12O LORD of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.13Sing to the LORD; praise the LORD! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.
John
31The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.32Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?"33The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God."34Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'?35If he called them gods to whom the word of God came--and Scripture cannot be broken--36do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?37If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me;38but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."39Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.40He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained.41And many came to him. And they said, "John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true."42And many believed in him there.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, persecution, and trust in God. The first reading from Jeremiah portrays the prophet in a moment of deep anguish, expressing his lament and the persecution he endures. Despite his suffering, Jeremiah places his trust in God, acknowledging His strength and justice. This trust is not passive; it is an active choice to rely on God even when circumstances seem dire.
In the Gospel, Jesus faces a similar challenge as He defends His divine identity against those who seek to stone Him. Jesus emphasizes His works as evidence of His union with the Father, urging His adversaries to believe in Him through these signs. This exchange highlights the tension between rejection and revelation, as Jesus' message is met with both hostility and belief.
Both readings remind us that our faith is tested in times of trial. Jeremiah's perseverance and Jesus' steadfastness in the face of opposition encourage us to trust in God's plan, even when we face challenges. In our daily lives, we are called to embrace this trust, recognizing that God's presence and strength are our constants amidst life's uncertainties. Let us draw strength from these examples, persevering in faith and trusting that God's justice and love will prevail.