Homily Fourth Saturday of Lent (Jeremiah 11:18-20) “Is There Meaningful Failure”
Homily Fourth Saturday of Lent (Jeremiah 11:18-20) “Is There Meaningful Failure”
Jesus was said to be like a prophet. We might ask which prophet he was most like. When we look at it objectively, we would probably say he was most like the Prophet Jeremiah.
Most prophets are called by God to share difficult messages. It was that way with Jeremiah. He proclaimed his prophetic message during the last days before Judea was conquered by the Babylonians about 600 years before Jesus lived. His prophetic message was proclaimed in Jerusalem.
He warned the Jewish people not to depend on their status as God’s chosen people for protection. He warned them against alliances with foreign powers to protect themselves. Jeremiah told them that their belief that Jerusalem would never be conquered, or the temple defiled were no guarantees of protection from harm.
Jeremiah’s message was not well received. He was humiliated in public. He was beaten. He was thrown into a cistern for days. He was sent into exile. Jeremiah’s ultimate fate is not known. He did witness his prophetic predictions come to pass. Jerusalem was conquered and destroyed.
Jeremiah did not want all this to happen. He loved his country and he grew frustrated numerous times with his lack of success. He was not able to change many minds. Most of the Judeans who listened to him just ignored him and went on with their lives. Jeremiah probably felt his life was a waste and that he had died a failure. His prayers and words express his depression.
Jesus’ life paralleled Jeremiah in many ways. He was rejected in Jerusalem. He was frustrated and saddened that his nation’s capital was probably going to be destroyed once again. We don’t know Jesus’ state of mind at the moment of death. We do know that his failure only lasted three days and led to our salvation.
Reflection Questions:
- Have I ever failed when I have attempted to help someone? How did I feel about that?
- Is it noble to suffer for a good cause? Are there many people willing to do that?
Dear Parishioners,
We are moving toward Holy Week. A week from tomorrow will be Palm Sunday. Because of the pandemic, our celebrations will be simpler than normal. We will not have Palm Sunday processions again this year. I am saddened by this, but at the same time it is good that we will be in church together this year.
I guess we must be happy with what we can do rather than concentrating on what we can’t do. I believe that a sincere prayer is pleasing to God no matter how simple it might be. We have taken a difficult journey the last year. Hopefully, our Easter will be much more meaningful this year.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints watch over us today.
Fr. Mark