Memory of Jesus crucified
Reading of the Word of God
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
This is the Gospel of the poor,
liberation for the imprisoned,
sight for the blind,
freedom for the oppressed.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
Jeremiah 20,10-13
I heard so many disparaging me, 'Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let us denounce him!' All those who were on good terms with me watched for my downfall, 'Perhaps he will be seduced into error. Then we shall get the better of him and take our revenge!' But Yahweh is at my side like a mighty hero; my opponents will stumble, vanquished, confounded by their failure; everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs. Yahweh Sabaoth, you who test the upright, observer of motives and thoughts, I shall see your vengeance on them, for I have revealed my cause to you. Sing to Yahweh, praise Yahweh, for he has delivered the soul of one in need from the clutches of evil doers.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
The Son of Man came to serve,
whoever wants to be great
should become servant of all.
Praise to you, o Lord, King of eternal glory
This passage comes from the last and most dramatic of Jeremiah's confessions. The text has the features of a prayer from the prophet after being scourged and closed in a prison for the whole night. Jeremiah speaks about the conflict that was created between his prophetic mission and the opposition he encountered. And he finds himself misunderstood and completely abandoned. He only sees enemies around him, even his friends from once upon a time now just watch his downfall with pleasure. Despite all this injustice around him, Jeremiah does not allow discouragement to take over. He strengthens his faith in the Lord: "But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior; therefore, my persecutors will stumble, and they will not prevail." His difficulties do not cause him to be closed in on himself harbouring rancour and rage. If anything, what remains is indignation for the hardness of the Israelites' hearts which he confirms in his prophetic ministry. He knows the Lord is by his side. In Old Testament style his prayer wishes revenge on his enemies, which in an evangelic vision will become prayer of forgiveness so that they reach the mercy of God and change their lives.