Monday, September 27, 2004
Martyrs Kallistratos and Forty-nine Companions
Kellia: Jeremiah 20:7-13 Epistle: Ephesians 4:25-32 Gospel: St. Luke3:19-22
Jeremiah 20:7-13, especially vss.
9, 10: "there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with
holding it in, and I cannot. For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side!" The Apostle
Paul, based on his own turbulent life as a Christian, once said, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the
hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31). In the present passage, we find Jeremiah revealing this
same truth. Simply consider the range of experiences and emotions that he expresses in this one
short passage as a result of committing his life to God. There are at least twelve outbursts.
The Prophet begins by accusing the Lord of having "deceived" him (Jer. 20:7). The Hebrew verb
is one used when a virgin is seduced. Often a person committed to God wakes up in his
relationship with the Lord and realizes that he has "signed on" for more than he understood at
first: "no one ever told me it would be like this! that I would have to....." God is demanding.
Jeremiah reveals that he struggled against undertaking the commitment to be a Prophet: "Thou art
stronger than I" (vs. 7). Like Jacob of old, he wrestled against God's call. God won!
The comment that God proved "stronger" is followed immediately by the further remark that God
"prevailed" (vs. 7). God won and Jeremiah lost, yet in giving in he accepted God's assignment.
Notice the undertone of resignation expressed here: "Thou hast prevailed."
Earlier, we saw an inkling of the price that the Prophet paid for declaring God's message of
"violence and destruction" (vs. 8). He wound up being "a man of strife and contention" with
everyone (Jer. 15:10). Hence, he was constantly laughed at and mocked by all (Jer. 20:7).
Worse still, Jeremiah was constantly reproached and derided (vs. 8). It is one thing for people to
laugh at our faith or at God's truth. It is another when they attack and criticize us.
The burden of the public and private reactions against Jeremiah prompted him to try to "resign,"
to get out of the Prophet business and of living faithfully for God (vs. 9). If one faces up honestly
to the task of living the Faith, pain and weariness loom all too powerfully (vs. 9).
One of the most painful aspects of a rigorous practice of the Faith is isolation from friends who
do not want any part of one's religion (vs. 10). In the Prophet's case, the break in friendship had
a sinister side: his "friends" had reached the point of wanting to catch him in some treasonable
remark and "denounce him" to the governing authorities (vs. 10).
The public and private resistance to Jeremiah's constant proclamation of impending doom for the
country turned into surveillance. People began "watching for [his] fall," some slip of the tongue
which they could use to "overcome him, and take...revenge on him" (vs. 10). This sort of
constant scrutiny soon infects many a man with paranoia and caution.
However, under constant public pressure, Jeremiah proved to be a true Saint and Prophet of God.
Inundated with mocking, laughter, criticism, surveillance, and hostility, how did he respond? He
announced that "the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble,
they will not overcome me" (vs. 11). Here was a truly committed man of God.
Still, notice his imperfection, that desire for revenge. Unlike the Lord Jesus Who chose silence
and forgiveness, Jeremiah begged God, "let me see Thy vengeance upon them" (vs. 12).
However, also notice that he bursts out singing in praise to the Lord (vs. 13).
Why? His triumphant outburst clearly arose from a direct personal experience of God's
deliverance: "He has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers" (vs. 13).
O glorious Prophet, who can describe thy tribulations in proclaiming God's truth? Intercede
with our Lord and God that we too may preserve a good confession of the Faith.
