First Reading - Jeremiah 11:18-20
Gospel - John 7:40-52
The gospel passage narrates the spark of division created among Jews by Jesus. It sounds really strange that Jesus created a division among people! Yes, but the division was between the good and the evil, between belief and unbelief. The Jews who have been hearing Jesus, came to recognise Jesus that he was not an ordinary person rather he bore something extraordinary in himself; in his words and actions. Some believed him to be a prophet and others discovered in him a long awaited Christ and even the officials, who wanted to arrest him, after hearing him were changed from their evil intent to arrest him. However, there was another group of the chief priests and the Pharisees as well that was not ready to listen to him, ridden with prejudices and blind beliefs of their knowledge of the Scriptures. Their refusal to listen to Jesus marks their refusal to change themselves due to their prejudices, pride of knowing the Scriptures, and resistance to recognize Jesus.
The first reading supplements the theme of listening to God. The prophet Jeremiah emphasizes that God revealed to him the evil scheming of his adversaries who devised to kill him. The prophet was open to the prompting of the message of God and God revealed to him. He also further states that God knows everything, in and out of us, so also our plans. It's because God revealed to him all the evil plots of his adversaries, they couldn't prevail against him. Furthermore, he was saved from them. However, this also brings to the fore, the resistance of the Jews to change themselves after hearing the message of the prophet because that was not according to their taste and above all, that demanded change from them. Therefore, they plotted against Jeremiah.
Dear friends, 'listening' is a quality. It's not easy to listen, particularly if it is not of our taste or interest. 'Listening' needs patience and avoidance of prejudices and pride. The leaders of Jews couldn't recognize Jesus because of their prejudices they had about Jesus and pride of knowing the Scriptures, hence they opposed to hear him; whereas, other Jews heard him and were led to faith or recognition of the true identity of Jesus. We need patient ears and hearts to hear God who speaks to us everytime. Let's get rid of our prejudices and pride when we approach God, thus we may become able to hear Him and recognize Him in our lives.
Jeremiah was guided by God because he was able to hear God. God knows us through and through. He knows what is the best for us at a given time and what can do us the best in the future. It's in our ability to listen to him, God can reveal Himself to us; Jesus revealed Himself to the Jews who heard Him and God revealed to Jeremiah when he heard Him. He continues guide us but we need an open heart to get his voice to us. Therefore, let's pay our attention to him like Jeremiah.
Let's pray that God may help us become willing hearers of His word.
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