Daily Readings - Fri Apr 12 2019
Jeremiah
7O LORD, you deceived me, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.10I hear many whispering, "Terror on every side! Report him! Let's report him!" All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, "Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him."11But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten.12O LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.13Sing to the LORD! Give praise to the LORD! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked.
John
31Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him,32but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"33"We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."34Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'?35If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came--and the Scripture cannot be broken--36what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'?37Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does.38But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."39Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.40Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. Here he stayed41and many people came to him. They said, "Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true."42And in that place many believed in Jesus.
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.