March 16, Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Daily Readings: Jeremiah 11:18–20; John 7:40–53.
Prophet Jeremiah was a committed servant of God. As a prophet, he never failed to make the people know God's will for them. But the people of Anathoth hated him and wanted to get rid of him. In his own time, people never respected a prophet. Jeremiah had to accept the harsh reality. Jeremiah felt that he “was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter” (v. 19). He was not aware that people were devising plans to kill him. But he surrenders himself to God and pleads for retribution on his behalf.
This is because he has dedicated his life to the Lord. Jeremiah took recourse to the Lord, as the Psalmist says, "O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge." The author of Psalm 7 seems to be in danger of death, and therefore he pleads with the Lord that he is about to become a lion’s prey, helpless. Therefore, he seeks justice. He sees his God as a just judge.
The history of Christianity clearly shows that women and men of God have suffered because of their commitment to God and God’s people. Jesus, despite being the Son of God, suffered the same fate as many of the prophets, such as Jeremiah. Jesus brings about a great division among the crowds during his discourse on the Holy Spirit. Some recognize him as a prophet, while others see him as the Messiah.
Some despise Jesus for not being aware of his real origin, thinking that he comes from Nazareth. According to the Sacred Scriptures, no prophet would arise from Nazareth. The policemen cannot arrest him because he mesmerizes them. Jesus' amazing teaching completely astounds them. Nicodemus, Jesus' secret admirer, bats for him, asking for an opportunity for Jesus to defend himself. They despise Nicodemus for his argument, and they manage to silence him. This is what is going on in the contemporary world.
Call to Action for Catholic Living: Prophetic voices in today's human society are being silenced. Believers in God have to find various ways and means to respond to this challenge. Am I ready to do that? If yes, what is it that motivates me to do so?
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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