Liturgical Colour : Purple/Violet

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we listened to the words of the Lord showing us even more of the frictions and tensions that existed before the Lord Jesus was to go through His Passion in Jerusalem, suffering and eventually death, as we are really near now to the commencement of the Holy Week, which begins this coming Sunday on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. This brings into our attention what we have been spending time in this season of Lent for, that is to prepare ourselves to celebrate the glorious and solemn mysteries of the Holy Week and Easter.

In our first reading today, we heard of the lamentations and words of the prophet Jeremiah for all those who have persecuted and plotted against him. For at that time, there were many people who despised Jeremiah for all the ominous words and prophecies that he brought to the people, especially the false prophets who tried to persuade the king of Judah and the people otherwise, that they were all doing fine in their state of sin and disobedience against God.

Jeremiah was persecuted terribly and he suffered much during all those years. Had it not been for some help among the few allies he still had, he would have been killed by his enemies. But he trusted in God and remained committed to the mission which the Lord had entrusted him, that he braved the challenges and difficulties in order to carry out the works of evangelisation among the people of God.

Jeremiah’s faith and trust was indeed truly evident, as he remained confident in God’s guidance and help as shown in the first reading today, that God, as a mighty Warrior who is ever faithful will be with His people, and He has devoted Himself to them and would not abandon them in their time of distress. It was this faith which allowed Jeremiah to remain strong in his ministry despite all the trials and difficulties that he had encountered in Judah and beyond.

Then, in our Gospel passage today we heard of the immense difficulties and challenges that were mounting against Jesus, as the Jews in Judea, particularly the Pharisees and the members of the Jewish High Council or the Sanhedrin as these took issues with the Lord’s ministry and teachings, and they had done a lot in trying to oppose Him and challenge Him publicly in many opportunities. And in today’s Gospel passage, we heard how the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law, with many of the Jews opposed the Lord and took great issue with His claim being the Son of God.

The Lord had told them the truth and revealed everything to them plainly, but they refused to believe in Him and they did not have faith in Him, and that was why they hardened their hearts against Him and wanted to have Him arrested and killed, as they considered Him as blaspheming against God. Since they were also already deeply biased and prejudiced against Jesus, it was difficult for any words of truth or reason to change their minds, and hence, they persecuted the Lord just as their ancestors had persecuted Jeremiah and the other prophets.

Today, as we approach the beginning of the Holy Week and as we continue to proceed through this season of Lent, we are called to reflect on all that we have heard in today’s Scripture passages. We are all just like those who have persecuted the prophets and also refused to listen to the truth of the Lord. Through our disobedience and sins we have committed, we have acted just like those who rejected the Lord and His prophets and persecuted them.

Yet, God is always merciful and He is always ever willing to forgive us our sins, if we are willing to turn back to Him and embrace once again the fullness of His grace and love. He wants us to get rid of our hardened and stone-like hearts, and exchange it for a new heart of love, filled with renewed faith and desire to love God as well as our fellow brothers and sisters, that we may indeed be more like our Lord in how He has loved us and in being so patient with us despite our constant rejections and refusal to listen to Him.

Let us all proceed into the blessed moments of the Holy Week with this new heart of faith, and open our minds and our whole beings to God to welcome Him into our hearts and minds that we may truly experience a most wonderful and life-changing time in this upcoming Holy Week and also the glorious Easter season. And let us also not forget to continue to pray for the world, especially for all those who are now sick and suffering. May God bless us all, now and always. Amen.