Word to the Wise
Wednesday, July 21, 2010 - Wednesday in the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
[Jeremiah 1:1, 4-10 and Matthew 13:1-9]The word of the Lord came to me thus: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. "Ah , Lord God," I said, "I know not how to speak'; I am too young." To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.
Today the scriptures turn to the Prophet Jeremiah - the "reluctant prophet." Even when he is "called" by God, and told that God had plans for him from all eternity, he's still resistant! We will see numerous times when he argues with God and complains about how hard his vocation is! Even when he knows that God has put God's words in his mouth, he still lacks confidence. Yet, he is one of the most powerful prophetic figures in the bible, ranking with Isaiah and Ezekiel! I have to say that I have often sympathized with Jeremiah. The notion of entering religious life came as a surprise to me when I was an undergraduate student. I had plans to finish law school and practice law, probably with my father! I was not happy with the persistent voice that said I had to look at something I had not planned on. Although I am not sorry I became a Dominican friar and priest, there have been times when I have rather passionately questioned God's judgment in calling me. "Why me?" I still marvel at the success of the retreats and parish missions that I preach. I just go and preach and it seems that God finds a way to make the words count. My Dominican brethren have "called" me to other positions of responsibility despite my protestations of lack of ability, and I have occasionally asked the Lord to relieve me of those jobs. Eventually things have worked out. All of us are "called in the womb" because we are all God's children. Each of us is precious. It might be too much to say that God has a "plan" for each of us, but it would also be too much to rule out God taking a particular interest in one or another of us to meet a special need. We may not like that kind of attention, but we're not in charge. Read all of Jeremiah and experience his intense and occasionally testy relationship with God. It helps to know we're in good company! AMEN
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