A meditation based on Jeremiah 23:16-17

Jeremiah boldly spoke out against false prophets—those who professed to speak for the Divine, but actually sought only to further their own agenda.  As a Christian who is both a woman and a liberal, I find that the words of Jeremiah resonate with my late-twentieth century experience.

            There was a time—and quite a long time at that—that I refrained from calling myself “Christian,” because the word conjured up images that were, to my understanding, wholly un-Christian.  I was taught by ”Christians” that I was to submit myself to another because of my gender, that capital punishment was God’s will, that some were condemned to hell simply because of their affectional orientation, and that, overall, God was sickened by my sin.  This simply did not square with my understanding of what it meant to be a follower of Jesus.

            Rather, the Jesus I cam to know was one who not only preached but also practiced a life of love, forgiveness, inclusivity, and self-sacrifice.  In fact, according to the Scriptures, Jesus saved his judgmental comments exclusively for members of the religious establishment who prized their own authoritarian and patriarchal positions over the physical, social, and spiritual well-being of those around them.  He chose instead to spend his time with social outcasts such as women, the sick, the poor, and those of socially unacceptable ethnic origins.

            As we spend this season in contemplation of the meaning of the life of Jesus, let us also follow the example of Jeremiah, who worked boldly to bring the true message of the Divine to all people.

            Divine Spirit, guide me to speak your words of justice and peace in a world that is overgrown with prejudice and separation.

            Help me to offer love where there is hate; inclusivity and acceptance where there is intolerance; reconciliation where there is dissent.  Amen.