Daily Readings - Fri Mar 31 2023
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 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.