Sunday 25 June 2023

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Today is Sunday the 25th of June, beginning the 12th week of Ordinary time.

Paul Zach sings, ‘Nothing to Fear’.

When you pass through the waters

I will be with you

And the depths of the rivers

Shall not overwhelm

When you walk through the fire

You will not be burned

I am the Lord, I am the Lord

And there is nothing to fear, nothing to fear

There is nothing to fear, nothing to fear

For I am with you always

In the depths of your sorrow

I wept beside you

When you walked through the shadow

I drew you near

Yesterday, today, tomorrow,

Always the same

I am the Lord, I am the Lord

And there is nothing to fear, nothing to fear

There is nothing to fear, nothing to fear

For I am with you always

What can separate you from my perfect love?

What can separate you from my perfect love?

What can separate you from my perfect love?

Do not fear, do not fear, do not fear

Today’s reading is from the Prophet Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 20:10-13

For I hear many whispering:

‘Terror is all around!

Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’

All my close friends

are watching for me to stumble.

‘Perhaps he can be enticed,

and we can prevail against him,

and take our revenge on him.’

But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior;

therefore my persecutors will stumble,

and they will not prevail.

They will be greatly shamed,

for they will not succeed.

Their eternal dishonour

will never be forgotten.

O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous,

you see the heart and the mind;

let me see your retribution upon them,

for to you I have committed my cause.

Sing to the Lord;

praise the Lord!

For he has delivered the life of the needy

from the hands of evildoers.

In today’s reading, Jeremiah is being persecuted after sharing his prophecy.

In the first part of the reading, we hear how he experienced this persecution.

“Terror is all around,” he says.

“Denounce him, let us denounce him! All my close friends are waiting for me to stumble.”

Perhaps you’ve also had an experience like this, or another kind of adversity. Can you recall what this was like? Which feelings were around for you at this time?

“But,” Jeremiah says, “The Lord is with me like a dread Warrior, therefore my persecutors will stumble.”

In the midst of all this, Jeremiah knows that the Lord is with him, and his persecutors will not prevail.

Spend a moment talking with the Lord about what is happening to you.

As you listen to the reading again, notice how Jeremiah’s confidence turns into prayer, then to praise.

“Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord.”

We end today’s prayer by taking a moment to join with the praise of Jeremiah who knew the Lord and trusted in him during his time of adversity.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.