Wednesday of the
Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Jeremiah 1:1.4-10; Matthew 13:1-9)
The woman was confused about what to say. Her granddaughter had just confessed that she
wanted to move in with her boyfriend. Then
the younger asked her grandmother whether she would disown her if she did such
a thing. Such a scene of conflicting
values is reminiscent of the era of the prophet Jeremiah who is featured in the
first reading today.
Jeremiah lives in the southern kingdom of Judah in the seventh
and sixth centuries before Christ. The
time of his calling as a prophet, which today’s reading reports, is particularly
jaded. Manasseh, the nation’s king, has allowed
the presence of Assyrian idols in the Temple area. Now God commissions the young Jeremiah to
speak his truth to the people. It would
be a tough assignment for a seasoned prophet.
It is no wonder then that Jeremiah tries to shy away from the
challenge.
Not only young people are living together outside
marriage. Elders as well, whether to
avoid the emotional or the legal entanglements of marriage, are opting for the
sinful relationship. We certainly should
not show approval for the practice. In
fact, we should express our concern –with as much prayerful care as prophetic
boldness – that the couple is offending our Creator and Redeemer.
