Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Saturday of the fourth week of Lent, March 21st, 2026

Delivered by Xerafina and Svara Nirmala from the Parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Jeremiah 11: 18-20; Rs psalm 7: 2-3.9bc-10.11-12; John 7: 40-53.THE LORD SPEAKS Our meditation today is entitled: The Lord Speaks. Intoday's first reading, the prophet Jeremiah mentions an important response whenthe threat of persecution confronts us. He said that God had told the believersthat suffering and persecution would come anytime. Knowledge or awareness thatprecedes the real persecution indeed helps shaping our response. Normally wereact to it in two ways, namely to fear and avoid the danger or with allcourage and strength we fight or stand on our feet to face it.  Jeremiah had a special vocation from God, so doesJesus Christ. They carried out the mission entrusted to them by the Father.Along with this, the Father in heaven also told them that for the realizationof that mission, they should pass through various obstacles, threats ofviolence, and persecution. In this sense, our two examples, Jeremiah and JesusChrist, are presented today by the Scriptures like a lamb brought to thedesignated place to be slaughtered and sacrificed. When accepting what God hadentrusted, both of them were mentally and spiritually ready to face the worstof this world culture, which is death. The Lord does speak and make known the imminent dangerthat really benefits those who are persecuted. Because the Lord will be withthem, He arranges everything happens under His control. But on the part of thepersecutors, there is chaos happening among them. They are controlled by muchanger, hatred, and evil plans because of the many interests involved and theyare mostly divided. The Pharisees and the scribes were not in agreement abouttheir evil plans. This is true enough to represent the fact that every form ofevil plan and action will never bring calmness, peace, joy and happiness. Itinstead produces troubles in our minds and souls. God always tells us about what will happen when itcomes to our responses to the faith, namely fundamental option, vocation, andministry. He reveals truth and divine wisdom to us in various ways and throughvarious instruments. He is the one who chooses and calls us, then entrusts toeach of us or together with different responsibilities and works. It also meansthat He is putting in our consciousness and belief not only the goals we willachieve, but especially the risks we will encounter. There is always risk andbad impact in each of our work or service. But because we are continuallyilluminated and strengthened by the faith we profess, we make our ways forwardwith the belief that God will be with us. The Lord continues guiding us with orwithout our request. We need to encourage one another that our thoughts, wordsand actions should be always in the light of the Lord.Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O wise and good Lord, englighten always oursteps in this very moment of fear and doubt that disturb our active andpeaceful life . Hail Mary, full of grace ... In the name of the Father ...