It's Not Easy Being A Prophet
Jeremiah's Calling Is To Warn The People
4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
9 Then the LORD reached out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put My words in your mouth.
16 I will pronounce My judgments on My people because of their wickedness in forsaking Me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.
17 Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them"
Jeremiah 1:4-5,9,16-17a
Every Christian's Calling
14 But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise You more and more.
15 My mouth will tell of Your righteousness, of Your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure.
16 I will come and proclaim Your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD; I will proclaim Your righteousness, Yours alone.
17 Since my youth, O God, You have taught me, and to this day I declare Your marvelous deeds.
18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.
19 Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, You who have done great things. Who, O God, is like You?
20 Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth You will again bring me up.
Psalm 71:14-20
St. Paul Tells Us Love Will Overcome Everything
1 If I speak in the tongues (languages) of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
I got a little ahead of myself last week and ended up posting what was both last week's and this week's gospel readings. If you go back and read it (from Luke chap. 4), you'll noticed at the end of the passage, the people were ready to throw Jesus off a cliff! They originally liked what He was saying, but then when He spoke of some people who were cleansed, cured and saved, that they must have thought were underserving, they turned on Him and were ready to "throw Him under the bus" in today's terminology. Somehow, the good news message of Jesus and the love that we should show to everyone, is not always well received. He knew there would be doubters of His Word, but who could argue with someone who promotes being a loving person? Love is what encompasses His entire message.
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