Reflection on Today's Readings, Saturday, 4th Week of Lent, Year B, March 20th, 2021
Texts: Jer. 11:18-20; Ps. 7:2-3.9bc-10.11-12; John 7: 40-53
Today, we are to ask ourselves which kind of plan do we make. Plan is needed for us to succeed. It is often said that he who fails to plan, plan to fail, and that proper preparation prevents poor performance. We need plan to succeed. Today we are reminded not to engage in evil plan.
In today's first reading, some people conspires against Jeremiah and makes plan to kill him. Such is an example of evil plan; plan that has the object of destroying the other person. God revealed their evil schemes to Jeremiah, but he could do nothing because he had to obey God. He says, "The Lord made it known to me and I knew; then you did show me their evil deeds. But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter." They were planning against him because of what God has sent him to do and yet he must obey God by continuing to do the work, not minding their plan. Jeremiah could not believe that they would plan against him who is working for their good. To show that it was unbelievable to him that they planned evil against him he says, "I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, 'Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more.'" It was not that he did not know that they were planning against him, for God had revealed it to him, but because he could not believe they would do so. As a gentle lamb who could do thing but to obey, he entrust his cause into the hand of God. He says, "But, O Lord of hosts, who judge righteously, who test the heart and the mind, let rue see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause."
We see in Jeremiah what our lives should be: we are to live life of obedience to God; we are to be gentle lambs of God who are to do nothing but to trust in God and obey Him. We are to learn to entrust our cause into the hands of God. We should be rest assured that God will fight our cause if we trust in Him and obey Him. In this world there is a common experience that we plan against ourselves, but as Christians our victory over people's evil plan is our trust in God and obedience to Him.
We also see Jesus Christ in the life of Jeremiah. It is unbelievable that the people would plan against Him who was working for their good. It is said, "When they heard the words of Jesus, some of the people said, 'This is really the prophet.” Others said, 'This is the Christ.' But some said, 'Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was? So there was a division among the people over him'". Jesus Christ confirmed in words and deeds beyond their imagination that he was the Christ. However, they were confused as to His origin. Jesus Christ went about doing good beyond the imagination of the people and yet the people planned to kill him. God did not abandon Him, He raised Nicodemus to speak in favour of him. Then, it is said, "They went each to his own house." God does not abandon anyone who trusts in Him and obey Him.
God our Father, we beg you to always grant us victory over the evil of this world and the people who always plan evil against us. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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