The officials and all the people then said to the priests and prophets, ‘This man does not deserve to die: he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.’ From Jeremiah 26; 11-16, 24 The full reading is an account of a confrontation between the priests and prophets on the…
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The Lord said to Jeremiah, ‘… you must speak all the words I have commanded you to tell them; do not omit one syllable. ‘Say this to them: “If you will not listen to me… I will treat this Temple as I treated Shiloh, and make this city a curse for all the nations…
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Jeremiah went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.‘ From Jeremiah 18: 1-6 (NRSV) Like Jesus, Jeremiah was good at looking at everyday…
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Jeremiah said to the Lord. ‘When your words came, I devoured them: your word was my delight and the joy of my heart… (So) ‘why is my suffering continual, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?’ From Jeremiah 15: 10, 16-21 It is fair to say that Jeremiah was a reluctant prophet – little…
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The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Say these words to my people: Tears flood my eyes night and day, unceasingly, since a crushing blow falls on the daughter of my people, a most grevious injury.” From Jeremiah 14: 17-22 Jeremiah is sometimes seen as a prophet of doom – and how this reading unfolds could…
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Audio version Jeremiah writes, ‘I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. The loincloth was spoilt, good for nothing.’ From Jeremiah 13: 1-11 For many of us, this is a very strange reading! God tells Jeremiah to take his underwear – to wear it – not to wash it – and…
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Audio version Solomon said to the Lord, “Give your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil.” From 1 Kings 3: 5-7, 7-12 Discernment is often seen as decision-making and it certainly has an important place in that. But whereas we can sometimes make snap-decisions, it is not possible to…
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Audio version We are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us. From 2 Corinthians 4: 7-15 This is a beautiful and reassuring image! All of us have gifts and each of us is given many opportunities to use…
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The Lord says: “I will give you shepherds after my own heart, and these shall feed you on knowledge and discretion.” From Jeremiah 3: 14-17 The image of God as a shepherd goes way back into the Old Testament. As our scriptures come from a society that was closer to the pastoral way of life,…
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The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. From Galatians 2: 19-20 St Bridget lived in the 1300s when the options for women were marriage and family or a monastic life. St Bridget managed to live both. She…
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