Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from Jeremiah chapters
1 and 2. Chapter 1. The words of Jeremiah, the
son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anatoth,
in the land of Benjamin, to whom the word of
the Lord came in the days of Josiah, the son
of Ammon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year
of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim,
the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end
of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of
Josiah, king of Judah, until the carrying away
of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month. Then
the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Before
I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before
you were born, I sanctified you. I ordained you
a prophet to the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord
God, behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.
But the Lord said to me, Do not say, I am a youth.
For you shall go to all to whom I send you, and
whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not
be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to
deliver you, says the Lord. Then the Lord put
forth his hand and touched my mouth, and the
Lord said to me, Behold, I have put my words
in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over
the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out
and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down,
to build and to plant. Moreover, the word of
the Lord came to me, saying, Jeremiah, what do
you see? And I said, I see a branch of an almond
tree. Then the Lord said to me, You have seen
well, for I am ready to perform my word. And
the word of the Lord came to me the second time,
saying, What do you see? And I said, I see a
boiling pot, and it is facing away from the north.
Then the Lord said to me, Out of the north calamity
shall break forth on the inhabitants of the land.
For behold, I am calling all the families of
the kingdoms of the north, says the Lord. They
shall come, and each one set his throne at the
entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all
its walls all around, and against all the cities
of Judah. I will utter my judgment against them
concerning all their wickedness, because they
have forsaken me, burned incense to other gods,
and worshipped the works of their own hands.
Therefore prepare yourself and arise, and speak
to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed
before their faces, lest I dismay you before
them. For behold, I have made you this day. a
fortified city and an iron pillar, and bronze
walls against the whole land, against the kings
of Judah, against its princes, against its priests,
and against the people of the land. They will
fight against you, but they shall not prevail
against you, for I am with you, says the Lord,
to deliver you. Moreover the word of the Lord
came to me, saying, Go and cry in the hearing
of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says the Lord, I remember
you. the kindness of your youth, the love of
your betrothal, when you went after me in the
wilderness, in a land not sown. Israel was holiness
to the Lord, the firstfruits of his increase.
All that devour him will offend, disaster will
come upon them, says the Lord. Hear the word
of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families
of the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord, What
injustice have your fathers found in me, that
they have gone far from me, have followed idols,
and have become idolaters? Neither did they say,
Where is the Lord who brought us up out of the
land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness,
through a land of deserts and pits, through a
land of drought and the shadow of death, through
a land that no one crossed and where no one dwelt.
I brought you into a bountiful country to eat
its fruit and its goodness. But when you entered,
you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.
The priest did not say, Where is the Lord? And
those who handled the law did not know me. The
rulers also transgressed against me, the prophets
prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that
do not profit. Therefore I will yet bring charges
against you, says the Lord, and against your
children's children I will bring charges. For
pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus and sea, send
to Kedar and consider diligently, and see if
there has been such a thing. Has a nation changed
its gods, which are not gods? But my people have
changed their glory, for what does not profit?
Be astonished, O heavens, at this, and be horribly
afraid. Be very desolate, says the Lord. For
my people have committed two evils. They have
forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and
hewn themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that
can hold no water. Is Israel a servant? Is he
a home -born slave? Why is he plundered? The
young lions roared at him and growled. They made
his land waste. His cities are burned without
inhabitant. Also the people of Noph and Toppenes.
have broken the crown of your head. Have you
not brought this on yourself, in that you have
forsaken the Lord your God when he led you in
the way? And now why take the road to Egypt,
to drink the waters of Sihur? Or why take the
road to Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
Your own wickedness will correct you, and your
backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore
and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that
you have forsaken the Lord your God, and the
fear of me is not in you, says the Lord God of
hosts. For of old I have broken your yoke and
burst your bonds, and you said I will not transgress.
When on every high hill and under every green
tree you lay down playing the harlot, yet I had
planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality.
How then have you turned before me into the degenerate
plant of an alien vine? For though you wash yourself
with lye and use much soap, yet your iniquity
is marked before me, says the Lord God. how can
you say i am not polluted i have not gone after
the bales see your way in the valley know what
you have done you are a swift dromedary breaking
loose in her ways a wild donkey used to the wilderness
that sniffs at the wind in her desire in her
time of mating who can turn her away all those
who seek her will not weary themselves in her
month they will find her withhold your foot from
being unshod and your throat from thirst but
you said there is no hope no For I have loved
aliens, and after them I will go. As the thief
is ashamed when he is found out, so is the house
of Israel ashamed. They and their kings and their
princes and their priests and their prophets,
saying to a tree, You are my father. And to a
stone you gave birth to me, for they have turned
their back to me and not their face. But in the
time of their trouble they will say, Arise and
save us. But where are your gods that you have
made for yourselves? Let them arise. If they
can save you in the time of your trouble, for
according to the number of your cities are your
gods or Judah. Why will you plead with me? You
all have transgressed against me, says the Lord.
In vain I have chastened your children. They
received no correction. Your sword has devoured
your prophets like a destroying lion. O generation,
see the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness
to Israel, or a land of darkness? Why do my people
say, We are lords, we will come no more to you?
Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride
her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days
without number. Why do you beautify your way
to seek love? Therefore you have also taught
the wicked women your ways. Also on your skirts
is found the blood of the lives of the poor innocents.
I have not found it by secret search, but plainly
on all these things. Yet you say, Because I am
innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me.
Behold, I will plead my case against you, because
you say, I have not sinned. Why do you gad about
so much to change your way? Also you shall be
ashamed of Egypt, as you were ashamed of Assyria.
Indeed you will go forth from him. with your
hands on your head, for the Lord has rejected
your trusted allies, and you will not prosper
by them. I hope you enjoyed today's reading as
much as I did, and I look forward to seeing you
again tomorrow to continue on our journey. God
bless you and have a great day.