Daily Readings - Fri Mar 31 2023
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 describes the prophet’s anguish and trust in God as he faces persecution and mockery from those who oppose his message. Despite feeling overwhelmed and betrayed, Jeremiah affirms his confidence in God’s justice and deliverance, knowing that his persecutors will ultimately be confounded. The Gospel from John presents Jesus facing similar hostility from the Jews, who accuse Him of blasphemy for claiming a divine relationship with the Father. Jesus defends His identity by referencing Scripture and the works He performs, which manifest the Father’s presence within Him. He invites His hearers to believe, not just in His words, but in the divine reality they reveal.
Both readings highlight the recurring theme of standing firm in the face of opposition for the sake of truth. Jeremiah and Jesus remind us that living according to God’s will often leads to misunderstanding and resistance. Jeremiah’s lament shows us that even the most faithful servants of God can feel isolated and persecuted, yet their ultimate hope lies in God’s unwavering presence. Jesus, on the other hand, demonstrates how to respond to such opposition with clarity, compassion, and trust in the Father. His words challenge us to examine our own relationship with God and to recognize the divine presence at work in our lives.
As we reflect on these readings, let us consider how they apply to our daily lives. We, too, may face challenges or criticism for living out our faith, whether in our personal relationships, workplaces, or communities. Like Jeremiah, we may feel the sting of betrayal or the weight of solitude. Like Jesus, we are called to remain steadfast, trusting that God is with us even when the world seems against us. The moral lesson here is clear: our identity and strength come from God, not from human approval. Let us strive to live with the courage and humility of these two figures, knowing that our ultimate vindication lies not in this world but in the eternal plan of God.