Daily Retreat 07/23/08

2008 Jul 23 Wed: Weekday Jer 1: 1. 4-10/ Ps 70(71): 1-2. 3-4a. 5-6ab. 15 and 17/ Mt 13: 1-9   From today's readings:  "Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD....  For You are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth....  Let the one who has ears hear!"   Here's Jeremiah!   Although containing fewer chapters, the Book of Jeremiah is about as long as Isaiah.  In fact, over the next few weeks,  we'll actually be reading much more of Jeremiah than the few sections we covered of Isaiah.    During his lifetime, Jeremiah became the most unpopular of all the prophets, and is known as the "weeping prophet" because of the hardships of his life and the severity of his prophecy.    In addition to details about his life, the book of Jeremiah also includes both poetic and prose prophecies and historical notes.  However, although the book begins logically with the call of Jeremiah in his youth, it is important to note that the book is not strictly arranged chronologically, as will soon be noted.   Since his prophecy spanned a number of decades, it is essential to have at least a rough understanding of the historical background.  His vocation came to him in 626 BC, the 13th year of King Josiah, who was one of the few good kings who sought to put an end to the idolatry of God's people.    At that time, Judah was a vassal nation to Assyria, whose power was clearly waning.  But although Josiah was able to lead Judah from the yoke of Assyrian dominance, Babylon was fast becoming the dominant empire in the region, and Jeremiah warned that military resistance was futile to the new power.  Such talk explains a lot of his unpopularity - he was even considered a traitor!  Nonetheless, history tragically proved him right when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 587 BC.   But the fall of Jerusalem was not the end of his career as a prophet - God continued to inspire Jeremiah to bring the Word of the Lord to His people in one of their darkest hours.