YOUR BROTHER WILL RISE AGAIN…

Jeremiah 26:1-9 
1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD,
2 “Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah which come to worship in the house of the LORD all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word.
3 It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the evil which I intend to do to them because of their evil doings.4 You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law which I have set before you,
5 and to heed the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not heeded,
6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.'”
7 The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.
8 And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die!
9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

John 11:19-27

19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary sat in the house.21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,26 and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.”

MEDITATION

JEREMIAH is arrested in the house of the Lord by the priests and prophets after he issued a warning that unless the people turn from their evil ways, they shall die and the house of the Lord shall be cursed and their city be destroyed. 

The leaders of Judah intended to kill Jeremiah for his imprudence of reminding them of Shiloh, a city that used to be a joyous prosperous place where the people faithfully went to worship and offer sacrifices and approached the Tabernacle, which was the centre of the Jewish worship and way of life. 

THE GOSPEL READING: By the time that Jesus arrived at the home of Mary and Martha who sent him a note to come and attend to Lazarus, he had died. Martha expressed her dissipointment that Christ could have done better to arrive sooner, because she was absolutely convinced that Christ would have saved her brothers life! Notwithstanding Martha’s sadness, her faith in Christ is unquestionable when by divine inspiration she identified Him as ‘Yeshua,’ Christ the promised Messiah! 

Whilst the sickness and death of a loved one can potentially arrest our faith to question whether God truly care about us or our loved ones, it would be remiss of us to not zealously invite Christ to manifest in our lives and home. We who mourn the sickness and death of a loved one must stand in the breach, make quiet time and present ourselves to Christ before the Tabernacle wherein He reside—pleading His indulgence—hoping that we or our loved ones are healed and or rise again at His second coming—Additionally, approach the priest to offer up Holy Mass for our living or deceased loved ones, because it is never too late to pray for a loved one who has passed away!

LET US PRAY: Psalms 69:5, 8-10,14

5 O God, thou knowest my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from thee.8 I have become a stranger to my brethren, an alien to my mother’s sons.
9 For zeal for thy house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult thee have fallen on me.10 When I humbled my soul with fasting, it became my reproach.14 rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters.

Commentary. Henry R SYLVESTER Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.