Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent

 Lectionary: 232

The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem said,
“Come, let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah.
It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests,
nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets.
And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue; let us carefully note his every word.”

The conspiracy against Jeremiah (c. 650 – c. 570 BC) sounds entirely too familiar today. Liberals and conservatives battle over language and the meaning of words like woke, male, female, progressive, and liberal. They "carefully note every word," alert to certain triggers which they say betray the evil intent of the other. The mythical city of Babel fell when its language became confused and they could not speak civilly to one another. When all parties claim to know the truth and own the language a prophet should expect rejection.

There is a familiar pattern in today's gospel. Whenever we hear Jesus speak of his coming death in Jerusalem, we also hear a teaching about service and discipleship. We should understand our mission is "to serve and not be served," and our destiny is disappointment. Prophets who are heard will be neither thanked nor acknowledged, and will know beyond any doubt that, even if their message made a difference, they did not. Obedience to the Word of God begins with "he must increase, I must decrease." 

As I prepared to leave the Louisiana city of Jennings, I was walking alone one Sunday afternoon, preoccupied with sad thoughts. I wondered if, after seven years in that town, I'd made any difference at all. I'd celebrated many Masses, baptized many infants, buried many people, visited many homes, and presided over a few marriages. I'd visited the local hospital, and the city and parish jails; ridden with the police; and wrote a few letters to the editors of the local newspaper favoring less access to guns. I knew many of the local officials and was on speaking terms with the local ministers. 

But I was also a Yankee and my barber had explained to me the difference between a Yankee and a damned Yankee. "The Yankee goes home." 

As I walked along with my sad thoughts I heard a beep-beep from a passing pickup and looked up expecting a friendly wave from a familiar face. Instead, I saw a local flipping the bird at me. I saw only the back of his truck and the gesture. For a moment I felt some distress. Why would anyone be hostile to me? 

And then I thought of my two or three letters to the editor. "Ha!" I said. "I did make a difference!" It was as if the Lord heard my thoughts and replied. Later that week, when the local district attorney called to say goodbye, he roared when I told him the story. He knew very well the cost of speaking out. 

Christians who oppose the culture of death should pray to God with Jeremiah: 

Remember that I stood before you

to speak in their behalf,

to turn away your wrath from them.

As citizens of the new Jerusalem and sojourners in a strange land, we offer our love to our neighbors and their nation. They will nor understand us or know where we come from. Our prophetic words will sound judgmental and at times unkind. But we will stand with them in any case, condemned for our sins and the sins of our ancestors, before the throne of God, pleading for mercy.