Daily Readings - Fri Mar 26 2021
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 powerful testimonies of faith amidst adversity. The first reading from Jeremiah portrays the prophet’s anguish and trust in God. Jeremiah feels deceived and persecuted by those he trusted, yet he clings to the conviction that God is his strength and will ultimately vindicate him. The Gospel from John shows Jesus facing similar hostility. Accused of blasphemy for claiming to be the Son of God, Jesus defends his identity by pointing to his works and the unity he shares with the Father. Both readings highlight the tension between suffering and trust in God’s plan.
The context of these readings reveals the common theme of persecution for one’s faith. Jeremiah, as a prophet, faced opposition for speaking God’s truth, while Jesus faced increasing hostility as he revealed more about his divine identity. Both situations remind us that standing up for what is right often comes with a cost. Jeremiah’s raw emotion and Jesus’ calm defense show us different yet valid responses to suffering. Their trust in God, however, remains unwavering.
These readings invite us to reflect on how we handle challenges in our own lives. Like Jeremiah and Jesus, we may face situations where we feel misunderstood or mistreated. The key is to trust that God is with us, even when the path is difficult. Jesus’ words remind us to look at the “works” in our lives—how we love and serve others—as a testament to our faith. Let us strive to remain faithful, knowing that God’s justice and love will ultimately prevail.