"In my distress I called upon the Lord"

Today's Mass Readings

In the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, the prophet laments about how he has been treated. By placing this passage with today’s reading from the Gospel of John, the Church invites us to see Jeremiah’s suffering in the light of Christ. Christ’s sufferings are thus likened to those of Jeremiah. We can understand at least one aspect of Christ’s sufferings from the context of Jeremiah’s life. Jeremiah was persecuted by his own people, because he was sent to preach against them. Jesus is likewise being persecuted by some of His own people because of His divine message, which was an affront to many in His audience. Jeremiah claimed to speak the word of God, and was therefore persecuted. Jesus claims to be the Word of God, and was likewise persecuted. Jesus explains that He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him. Some in the audience attempt to kill Jesus by stoning Him. God had commanded that anyone who blasphemes should be stoned to death. Claiming to be God, when in fact you were not God, would constitute one form of blasphemy. Under Roman law, however, Jews were not permitted to use the death penalty. What these individuals were attempting to do was illegal at the time, according to Roman law. There is some evidence that sometimes Roman law was not always strictly adhered to, including in matters involving the death penalty. The point of the passage, however, is that Jesus’ audience clearly understood His claim to be God.

The passage ends, however, in joy, with “many” coming to faith in Jesus. Jeremiah’s passage for today, likewise ends in joy. “Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, For he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!” (Jeremiah 20:13). Jeremiah’s life was temporarily spared, as was Jesus. Both, however, would eventually be killed. Tradition has it that Jeremiah was either killed by the sword, or by crucifixion. We know that Jesus was crucified. We too will soon be able to heartily sing, “Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!” Easter is the season most appropriate for such songs of joy. Lent is wonderful preparation for that Easter joy. We can sing that hymn of praise for what Jesus did for us on the cross, but how much more fitting is it to sing for joy because of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Jesus conquered death, and therefore, we too can have a share in life everlasting. We need no longer fear death.

As the last Friday in Lent before Good Friday, let us reflect on how this season has helped prepare us for Easter joy, and how it may still continue to prepare us, as we rapidly approach Holy Week. There is one final message in Jeremiah’s hymn of praise which is appropriate for us to reflect on during Lent. “Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord….” Why? “For he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!” Yes God rescued Jeremiah from prison, and postponed his execution. Yes, God rescued Jesus in today’s passage from a premature death. Yes, God raised Jesus from the dead after His crucifixion. We too, however, are called to rescue “the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!” St. Paul calls us God’s fellow workers. Let us cooperate with God in helping the poor and those who are in the power of the wicked. Let us especially make certain we are not the wicked exerting our power on the poor around us. Only then, when we attempt to live out the gospel in our lives, can we join Jeremiah in singing his hymn with honesty.