Daily Readings - Sat Mar 28 2020
Jeremiah
18The LORD made it known to me and I knew; then you showed me their deeds.19But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more."20But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.
John
40When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This really is the Prophet."41Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee?42Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"43So there was a division among the people over him.44Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.45The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?"46The officers answered, "No one ever spoke like this man!"47The Pharisees answered them, "Have you also been deceived?48Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?49But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."50Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them,51"Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?"52They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee." [The earliest manuscripts do not include John 7:53-8:11]53[[They went each to his own house,
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on trust, discernment, and the challenges of following God’s will. The first reading from Jeremiah portrays the prophet as a meek lamb led to slaughter, unaware of the plots against him. Jeremiah’s trust in God’s justice shines through as he cries out to the Lord, seeking vengeance not out of malice but out of a deep reliance on God’s righteousness. This passage reminds us that even in the face of betrayal and uncertainty, faith in God’s plan can sustain us.
The Gospel from John presents a scene of division and confusion. Jesus’ words have stirred debate among the crowd, with some hailing him as the Prophet or the Messiah, while others question his origins. The Pharisees dismiss the crowd as ignorant and argue that no prophet can come from Galilee. Nicodemus, however, challenges their rush to judgment, advocating for a fair hearing. This passage highlights the tension between preconceived notions and the truth of God’s revelation. It calls us to humility and openness, lest we, like the Pharisees, allow our assumptions to blind us to the presence of God.
Both readings encourage us to examine our own hearts and minds. Jeremiah’s trust in God’s justice invites us to surrender our struggles to the Lord, even when the path ahead seems unclear. The Gospel challenges us to approach God’s truth with humility, avoiding the pitfalls of prejudice and self-reliance. In our daily lives, let us strive to trust in God’s plan, even when faced with opposition, and to seek the truth with open and discerning hearts. May we, like Jeremiah, find strength in God’s justice, and may we, like Nicodemus, advocate for fairness and understanding in a world often divided by doubt and fear.