Wednesday 24 July 2024

Today is Wednesday 24 July in the 16th week of Ordinary Time. IAMSON sings, ‘Always With Me’. I can make through the day When you're with me on the way In my heart and mind you'll stay I can make it through the night When I'm clinging to your light You will make the darkness bright For you are always, always with me For you are always, always with me In the calm and in the storm When it seems I'm all alone It's your hand I find to hold In each hour of unrest When it seems I've nothing left You speak peace in every breath For you are always, always with me For you are always, always with me In the morning, in the evening When I'm waking, when I'm sleeping When I'm arriving, when I'm leaving You will have me in your keeping Even from my mothers womb Never hidden from your view I was always known to you When I fade away in death You will catch my final breath You will take me to my rest For you are always, always with me For you are alway, always with me Today’s reading is from the Prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 1:1,4-10 The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’ Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’ But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.’ Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, ‘Now I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’ This passage describing the calling of the prophet Jeremiah offers a deeply, relational opportunity to consider God’s word. Take a moment to place yourself in the scene of the passage. Jeremiah lives in a city of priests, he is perhaps, in a place dedicated to prayer and contemplation. Be aware of the atmosphere of the moment, the emotions, and the presence of God. Imagine God speaking directly to you, calling you by name, and telling you that He has known you before you were born. How might it feel to be known so intimately by God? Hear God's voice saying, "I appointed you." God has a specific purpose and mission for you. What is your response as you consider this? As you listen to the passage again, feel Jeremiah’s sense of inadequacy; his tone and demeanour as he tries to turn the calling away. Have you ever felt fearful when faced with a task? Bring these feelings before God. Feel God’s reassurance, "Do not be afraid”. The phrase that is repeated throughout scripture. “Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, ‘Now I have put my words in your mouth.” Share a heartfelt conversation with the God who wishes you not to be afraid. Speak to the Lord about your fears, your hopes, and your desires. Listen for the response, allowing yourself to be open to guidance and reassurance. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.