(Jeremiah 20: 10-13: “I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.”
But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, For he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked “!)
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We can all relate to Jeremiah, one of the great prophets of the Old Testament.
He never had it easy. His faith was constantly tested.
When he was first chosen by God, Jeremiah was young and idealistic. In fact, he cried out with delight, “When I read your words, I devoured them! They became my joy and the happiness of my heart!”
He was ready to save the world.
But some years into his ministry, this same man complained to God: “You duped me, O LORD!” You’ve made me a fool. Jeremiah had one simple mission: to lead Israel to repentance. A message nobody wanted to hear.
His ministry caused him to lose everything, even his closest friends. Remember their words towards him in our first reading, “Terror! Terror on every side! Let us denounce him!”
Jeremiah was betrayed. He must have been heartbroken.
But even in this dark and difficult hour, he calls upon God his, “mighty champion.”
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Anyone who journeys with God will feel the highs and lows of faith, like Jeremiah. You may feel close to God on your wedding day, after giving birth to a child, or even having a small prayer answered.
Or you may feel distant from Him after losing a loved one, struggling through a lukewarm marriage, or even having a hard day at work.
Wherever we may be on our faith journey, our challenge is to be like Jeremiah, remembering that God our “mighty champion” is with us. As we sang in the Responsorial Psalm:
“I love you, O LORD, my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer… In my distress I called upon the LORD…[and] he heard my voice” (Psalm 18:2 – 7).
The same God who strengthened Jeremiah is with us. He will hear every prayer we offer him this day.