Daily Readings - Fri Mar 26 2021
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 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.