Daily Readings - Fri Apr 11 2025
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 figures, Jeremiah and Jesus, who face intense opposition for their faith and message. Jeremiah, a prophet called by God, expresses his anguish and betrayal as he is mocked and persecuted by those he trusted. Despite his suffering, he remains steadfast, trusting in God's strength and justice, knowing that his persecutors will ultimately fail. Similarly, in the Gospel, Jesus is accused of blasphemy by the Jews who seek to stone Him. He defends His divinity by referencing Scripture and the miraculous works that attest to His union with the Father, urging His adversaries to believe in Him through these signs.
Both readings highlight the theme of persecution for righteousness' sake. Jeremiah and Jesus exemplify unwavering commitment to God's truth despite hostility. Their experiences remind us that standing up for our faith can lead to opposition, but it is in these moments that our trust in God is most crucial. Like Jeremiah, we must lean on God's strength, and like Jesus, we must allow our actions and faith to speak volumes about our commitment to Him.
In our daily lives, we may face challenges for our beliefs, whether in our personal or public spheres. Let us draw inspiration from Jeremiah's trust and Jesus' courage. May we remain steadfast in our faith, trusting that God is with us, even in the face of adversity. Let our lives be a testament to God's presence, and may our actions reflect the love and truth of Christ, even when met with opposition.