Wednesday of the
Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Jeremiah 15:10.16-21; Matthew 13:44-46)
Webster defines jeremiad
as a “lamentation or tale of woe.” The
word is derived from the prophet Jeremiah’s frequent complaints. Jeremiads may be found in both the book which
bears the prophet's name and the Book of Lamentations.
The latter work, however, was probably not the work of the prophet. Today’s first reading presents a good example
of a jeremiad.
Jeremiah has tried to tell the people that they have
incurred God’s wrath. He has warned them
that their infidelity and idolatry have resulted in Babylon’s army coming to invade
Jerusalem. But the people do not want to
hear his message of woe. They reject him
and leave him like a coyote howling in the hills.
Jeremiah’s only recourse is to God. He complains that he has been faithful, but
God has not reciprocated. Then he hears
the Lord’s judgment. If Jeremiah repents
of his feeling sorry for himself, God will make him victorious over those who
revile him.
We should feel free like Jeremiah to take our complaints
to the Lord in prayer. Perhaps it is a
problem with an abusive son or daughter that troubles us. God will hear us but will also want us to be just
and firm in our response to the difficulty.
