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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!
The Word of the Lord.
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Many of us can relate to Jeremiah, one of the great prophets of the Old Testament, who struggled in his journey paved by faith and service to God.
When he was first chosen to be a prophet, he was young and idealistic, crying out with delight, “When I read your words, I devoured them! They became my joy and the happiness of my heart!”
Jeremiah was ready to save the world.
I’m sure we’ve felt something similar before – an epiphany that God is alive and in touch; a prayer finally answered; a door pried open by grace, brightening our future.
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But some years into his ministry, Jeremiah complains to God, saying: “You duped me, O LORD!”
This once young and idealistic prophet has run into a number of obstacles, most notably the hardened hearts of his friends who resist his message of repentance, and even plot to put him to death.
“Let us denounce him!” they cry out in our first reading.
Jeremiah is heartbroken.
But even in his darkest hour, he calls God his, “mighty champion.”
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Anyone who journeys with God will feel the highs and lows of faith, much like Jeremiah did. You may feel close to God on your wedding day, after giving birth to a child, or even having a small prayer answered.
Then you may feel distant from Him after losing a loved one, struggling through a lukewarm relationship, or having a hard day at work.
Today’s invitation is to remember that God is our “mighty champion,” the one who will never abandon us.
As we proclaimed in the Responsorial Psalm today:
“In my distress, I called upon the LORD and he heard my voice.”
Jeremiah, prophet of the ages, pray for us.
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Image credits: (1) CBCP News (2) Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, Rembrandt (3) Medium