Read

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.”

—Jeremiah 1:4–10

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah, you that enter these gates to worship the Lord. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your doings, and let me dwell with you in this place. Do not trust in these deceptive words: “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.”

For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors forever and ever.

—Jeremiah 7:1–7

Reflect & Discuss

The prophets take up as much space in the Bible as the whole New Testament, so this is a small snapshot. What is the prophets’ calling according to the first reading?
What is Jeremiah’s message in the second reading? What does God say is the condition of his living with his people?
The prophets are the last long chapter of Israel’’s history leading up to Jesus. How does their work and message relate to the coming of Christ? How do they connect earlier stories of the Old Testament with that of Jesus?
How do we listen to the convicting and comforting voice of Israel’s prophets today? Commit to reading one prophet this week and keep reflecting on this.

Pray

for eyes to see the world as the prophets do and ears to hear their voice today
for anything we have to share