Thursday 24 March 2022

Today is Thursday the 24th of March, in the third week of Lent.
Robert Heiskell and Rachel Briggs sing, 'We Are Not Overcome'.

Flesh will fail and bones will break
Thieves will steal, the earth will shake
Night will fall, the light will fade
The Lord will give and take away

Put no trust in the earth
in the sod you stand upon
Flowers fade into dust
The Lord will make a place for us

Because of His great Love
We are not overcome
Because of His great Love
We are not overcome

Have no fear for your life
Turn your cheek, turn your cheek
Bear the yoke of love and death
The Lord will give all life and breath

Because of His great Love
We are not overcome
Because of His great Love
We are not overcome

Today's reading is from the Prophet Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 7:23-28
But this command I gave them, 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk only in the way that I command you, so that it may be well with you.' Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but, in the stubbornness of their evil will, they walked in their own counsels, and looked backwards rather than forwards. From the day that your ancestors came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day; yet they did not listen to me, or pay attention, but they stiffened their necks. They did worse than their ancestors did. So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. You shall say to them: This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.

"I shall be your God and you shall be my people". What is that saying to you today?
"This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord". Could that be said of your nation? Could it be said of you? If so, what might you do about it during this Lenten season?

Now listen once more as the passage is read again and reflect: this is the story of Jeremiah's vocation as a prophet. Do you think that it is going to be a comfortable vocation? Do you think your vocation might be a bit uncomfortable?
Finally, see if you can gather together all the thoughts that are arising in your heart just now; Can you turn them into a prayer to God?


You have given all to me. To you Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace…
That is enough for me.