THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Wednesday of the second week of Lent, 2022

Jer. 18:18-20

Ps 31

Matt 20:17-28

Is evil a recompense for good?

Dear friends in Christ, good people often face a lot of challenges on account of the good they do. What could be the solution? To stop doing good? The situation could be so bad that the good person begins to have a rethink about his or her acts of charity. 

Our first reading today is from Prophet Jeremiah (18:18-20). The two verses summarise the travails of Jeremiah, in the hands of his contemporaries, including his friends. Called by God, Jeremiah was faithful to his mission, he proclaimed the word of God without fear, he made himself an intermediary with God, on behalf of the people, to save them; yet, the same people, hatched evil plots against the prophet, to bring his mission to an abrupt end. They said, “Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not heed any of his words.” This made Jeremiah turn to God for help, and he questioned, “O Lord listen to my plea, Is evil a recompense for good?” Is this what I get for all I have put in? There are people who still suffer like Jeremiah today, many whose efforts go unrewarded: civil servants who work and do not get their pay in good time, by missionaries who suffer rejection in the hands of their congregation, by the traffic warden who is insulted while on his job, by road workers who face reckless drivers on our roads and many more.

Just the way Jeremiah faced troubles and death with the people of his time, the gospel of today from Matthew 20:17-28, tells of Jesus announcing to his disciples what was going to happen to him as he faced Jerusalem, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered up to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death…” On this the question of Jeremiah comes again to mind, “Is evil a recompense for good?” What has he done to deserve death? Worrying too, is the situation of his own disciples, who should be concerned about what he was going to face in Jerusalem, but turned their attention to the struggle for power. Mrs. Zebedee came up to Jesus to ask, “Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left in your kingdom.” One would have expected the disciples, to be more concerned about the passion that Jesus had just revealed, but their humanity took a hold of them, even the other ten, became indignant at the two brothers. Jesus had to again set aside the most important issue of his redemptive death, to deal with the power tussle, and to teach them that, “…the son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” What are you offering for the good others have done to you?

Let us pray: Lord, Help us to appreciate what others do for us, and  help us to remain good and focused in the face of the challenges that come from the good we do. Amen.

+Remain blessed