Word to the Wise
Friday, March 14, 2008 - Friday in the Fifth Week of Lent (also St. Patrick Day this year)
[Jeremiah 20:10-13 and John 10:31-42]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.'
Jeremiah sounds like a modern day politician or even religious leader! Power attracts envious people and people who feel threatened. Anytime they can bring somebody "down" they feel powerful themselves! Jeremiah had the power of being a recognized prophetic figure and he had his enemies among the religious leadership who preferred to give "feel-good" statements to the king. Jeremiah rarely had anything like that to say because things really were bad. Jesus did not spare the religious leadership of his time. He confronted them with their blindness and disbelief. That did not win him any friends! Perhaps Judas saw this and gave up on following as an apostle. In any case, he plotted against Jesus and betrayed him. Jesus' adversaries claim that he commits blasphemy because he, a human being, was making himself God. There are those who would commit an act of terrorism for purely religious reasons, but the trial of Jesus simply is about power: Pilate's power, the power of the religious leadership, the power (seemingly powerless at times) of Jesus. Jeremiah complained constantly about the resistance and opposition he received but he kept to the task. Jesus remains determined as well. It is not easy to continuously stand for what is true and right in the face of growing and dangerous opposition. How many of us are called upon to do this? How many of us can? AMEN
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