March 25, 2012 Jeremiah, The Prophet

The First Reading today is from Jeremiah 31: 31-34. This Reading has been called "Jeremiah's Spiritual Testament." He spoke of the Old Mosaic Covenant of Mount Sinai, the Ten Commandments which were inscribed in stone. He emphasized that the Old Covenant was grounded on legal observance and that the New Covenant which will be established when they return to God would fulfill the old one and would be entirely on the basis of grace. Jeremiah wrote what God said," I will write it upon their hearts. They shall be my people and I shall be their God."

To the Hebrews, the "heart" is the center of human intelligence and willpower. To write the Law in their hearts meant to move the Law from outside of the person to inside thus enabling him to internalize God's Law. It was by reading the Law and "living" it that an individual became connected to God.

Jeremiah was one of the best known prophets whose name means, "Yahweh Exalts." He came from the tribe of Benjamin and received his call in 626 BC when he was only twenty years old. He warned the kings, priests and people that they were bringing disaster to the nation for not living according to the Covenant. He mentioned their many sins which included not treating each other fairly, exploiting the widows, orphans and strangers and following false gods.

Since his foremost message was of "judgment" on the people for their many sins, he was rejected, despised and even thrown in a cistern twice. Because of his great sorrow for his people, he was called the "Weeping Prophet." For some time, he moved around town with a yoke on his neck to show his people the sufferings they would undergo if they do no not turn away from their sins. In fact, no prophet suffered much as did Jeremiah. In many ways,his sufferings were similar to those of Jesus. Both were hated by the religious order; both were rejected by their own townmates; both wept over their own cities; both were accused falsely; and both were thrown into prison.

One of his famous sayings is : Wisdom, might and riches are nothing compared to the happiness that man achieves through real knowledge and understanding of GOD."