Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent Yrs 1 and 2 2025
Lent • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 9 viewsTo be chosen by God means not success in the eyes of this age but becoming like Jesus, targeted for suffering. That is what Jeremiah discovered although he was ignorant of the plots until God revealed him. He would be vindicated in the fall of Jerusalem but ended up in forced exile in Egypt. That is what Jesus experienced, for though he impressed many, including guards sent to arrest him, the majority of the Pharisees were set against him and declared his followers cursed. We need to be aware of this and turn our backs firmly on the approval of this age and keep our eyes on Jesus whom we follow as we move through the cross to enjoy the waters that flow from the new Temple, which is Jesus himself.
Notes
Transcript
Title
Title
The Chosen is the Targeted
Outline
Outline
What does it mean to be chosen by God?
What does it mean to be chosen by God?
Does it mean becoming famous? Does it mean seeing institutional growth? Does it mean (at least in the Protestant world) wealth?
In the biblical world it means becoming like Jesus, i.e. targeted for suffering.
Jeremiah discovered this
Jeremiah discovered this
He did not seek being a prophet. He was content with being a young priest in Anathoth. But God chose him, and when God chose him he obeyed and was faithful to his calling. He exposed corruption, called for repentance, and predicted eventual restoration. He was loyal to his people and to the Torah duties of a priest. But God reveals to him that plots were being hatched against him, not least by his clan in Anathoth. He stays faithful to the end, which he met in exile in Egypt, although our reading shows that he was OT in that unlike Jesus he could say, “Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause!”
Turn to Jesus
Turn to Jesus
He was controversial, but impressive
In our gospel he had just promised “rivers of living (running) water” flowing from him, the author making clear it was the water of the new Temple which was the Spirit.
The response was: “Prophet!” or “Messiah!” but also “Imposter!” for he came from Galilee and was not known to be Davidic.
Still, the guards sent to arrest him were impressed, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one.” But the Pharisees put the guards down and Nicodemus as well, as “this crowd which does not know the law [and] is accursed.” The majority was already plotting against him.
And Jesus’ way will be our way if we are faithful
And Jesus’ way will be our way if we are faithful
Jesus, unlike Jeremiah, was well-aware of not only the plots but also his ultimate destination of cross before resurrection.
We need to be aware that while we may not know the plots in advance still if we follow Jesus faithfully we are not likely to win friends and influence people, at least not in the long term. We may not suffer like Padre Pio or be investigated by the Inquisition like Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross; we may not survive poisoning attempts like St Benedict or rejection by his own order like St Francis, but tough times will come.
The point is that our approval must come from God (“to you I have entrusted my cause”), our refreshment from the water flowing from the new Temple, our fixed loyalty as firm as St. Ignatius, so that with our backs to the world we have forsaken, even the world in the church, we look forward to him whom we follow and not back at what is collapsing behind us.
