Newsletter – Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C.

REFLECTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE – by Lisa-Marie Calderone-Stewart

Jeremiah is stuck in the mud at the bottom of a well. He was thrown in there because he said that God wanted Jerusalem to surrender to Babylon in order to save their own lives – a message the people did not want to hear. He was a prophet who was being punished for speaking the truth. People don’t like to hear what they don’t want to do – they would rather blame the speaker and pretend the message is wrong than listen to the truth.

Modern-day prophets likewise try to warn people about what will happen if we don’t change. Books, movies and television documentaries try to warn us about things like population growth, pollution levels, unhealthy ingredients in foods, the waste of natural resources, the ruin of rainforests, corruption in government or industry, and so forth.

Which modern-day prophets do you listen to? Which ones do you want to ignore? Why?

Although Jeremiah is stuck at the bottom of the muddy well, he is not completely abandoned. He has a few loyal supporters to help him get out. The Scripture verses that follow the readings for this Sunday explain how Ebed-melech got some rags from the palace linen closet and lowered them into the well with the ropes. He told Jeremiah to put the rags under his armpits so the ropes would not cut and burn him. Ebed-melech was obviously kind and courageous.

Do you have such a loyal friend who might help you out if you were unjustly punished? Has such a thing ever happened to you? What was the outcome?

We never hear a word about Jeremiah’s words or feelings or thoughts. He is silent throughout this whole ordeal. What do you think he felt or thought or said? What do you think he did in that well? Do you think he prayed or cried or screamed out loud? What would you do?

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