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 the book of
Jeremiah, chapters 9 and 10. Chapter 9 O that
my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of
tears, that I might weep day and night for the
slain of the daughter of my people. O that I
had in the wilderness a lodging place for travelers,
that I might leave my people and go from them.
For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous
men. And like their bow, they have bent their
tongues for lies. They are not valiant for the
truth on the earth, for they proceed from evil
to evil. And they do not know me, says the Lord.
Everyone take heed to his neighbor, and do not
trust any brother. For every brother will utterly
supplant, and every neighbor will walk with slanderers.
Everyone will deceive his neighbor, and will
not speak the truth. They have taught their tongue
to speak lies. They weary themselves to commit
iniquity. Your dwelling place is in the midst
of deceit. Through deceit they refuse to know
me, says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord
of hosts, Behold, I will refine them and try
them. For how shall I deal with the daughter
of my people? Their tongue is an arrow shot out.
It speaks deceit. One speaks peaceably to his
neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he
lies in wait. Shall I not punish them for these
things, says the Lord? Shall I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this? I will take up a weeping
and wailing for the mountains, and for the dwelling
places of the wilderness a lamentation, because
they are burned up, so that no one can pass through,
nor can men hear the voice of the cattle. Both
the birds of the heavens and the beasts have
fled, they are gone. I will make Jerusalem a
heap of ruins, a den of jackals. I will make
the cities of Judah desolate without an inhabitant.
Who is the wise man? who may understand this?
And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has
spoken, that he may declare it? Why does the
land perish and burn up like a wilderness, so
that no one can pass through? And the Lord said,
Because they have forsaken my law, which I said
before them, and have not obeyed my voice, nor
walked according to it. But they have walked
according to the dictates of their own hearts,
and after the Baals, which their fathers taught
them. Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts,
the God of Israel. Behold, I will feed them,
this people, with wormwood, and give them water
of gall to drink. I will scatter them also among
the Gentiles, whom neither they nor their fathers
have known. And I will send a sword after them
until I have consumed them. Thus says the Lord
of hosts, Consider and call for the mourning
women, that they may come and send for skillful
wailing women, that they may come, let them make
haste, and take up a wailing for us. that our
eyes may run with tears, and our eyelids gush
with water. For a voice of wailing is heard from
Zion, how we are plundered, we are greatly ashamed,
because we have forsaken the land, because we
have been cast out of our dwellings. Yet hear
the word of the Lord, O women, and let your ear
receive the word of his mouth. Teach your daughters
wailing, and everyone her neighbor a lamentation.
For death has come through our windows, has entered
our palaces, to kill off the children. no longer
to be outside, and the young men no longer on
the streets. Speak, thus says the Lord, even
the carcasses of men shall fall as refuse on
the open field, like cuttings after the harvester,
and no one shall gather them. Thus says the Lord,
let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let
not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let
the rich man glory in his riches, but let him
who glories glory in this, that he understands
and knows me. That I am the Lord, exercising
lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in
the earth, for in these I delight, says the Lord.
Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that
I will punish all who are circumcised with the
uncircumcised, Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people
of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest
corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all
these nations are uncircumcised, and all the
house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
Chapter 10 Hear the word which the Lord speaks
to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord,
Do not learn the way of the Gentiles. Do not
be dismayed at the signs of heaven. For the Gentiles
are dismayed at them, for the customs of the
peoples are futile. For one cuts a tree from
the forest, the work of the hands of the workmen,
with the axe. They decorate it with silver and
gold. They fasten it with nails and hammers,
so that it will not topple. They are upright,
like a palm tree, and they cannot speak. They
must be carried, because they cannot go by themselves.
Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do
evil, nor can they do any good. Inasmuch as there
is none like you, O Lord, you are great, and
your name is great in might. Who would not fear
you, O King of the nations? For this is your
rightful due. For among all the wise men of the
nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is
none like you. but they are altogether dull -hearted
and foolish. A wooden idol is a worthless doctrine.
Silver is beaten into plates. It is brought from
Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz. The work of the
craftsmen and of the hands of the metalsmith.
Blue and purple are their clothing. They are
all the work of skillful men. But the Lord is
the true God. He is the living God and everlasting
King. At His wrath, the earth will tremble. and
the nations will not be able to endure his indignation.
Thus you shall say to them, The gods that have
not made the heavens and the earth shall perish
from the earth and from under these heavens.
He has made the earth by his power. He has established
the world by his wisdom, and has stretched out
the heavens at his discretion. When he utters
his voice, there is a multitude of waters in
the heavens. And he causes the vapors to ascend
from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning
for the rain. He brings the wind out of his treasuries.
Everyone is dull -hearted, without knowledge.
Every metalsmith is put to shame by an image.
For his molded image is falsehood, and there
is no breath in them. They are futile, a work
of errors. In the time of their punishment, they
shall perish. The portion of Jacob is not like
them, for he is the maker of all things, and
Israel is the tribe of his inheritance. The Lord
of hosts is his name. Gather up your wares from
the land, O inhabitant of the fortress. For thus
says the Lord, Behold, I will throw out at this
time the inhabitants of the land, and will distress
them, that they may find it so. Woe is me for
my hurt, my wound is severe. But I say, truly
this is an infirmity, but I must bear it. My
tent is plundered, and all my cords are broken.
My children have gone from me, and they are no
more. There is no one to pitch my tent any more,
or set up my curtains. For the shepherds have
become dull -hearted, and have not sought the
Lord. Therefore they shall not prosper, and all
their flocks shall be scattered. Behold, the
noise of the report has come, and a great commotion
out of the north country. to make the cities
of Judah desolate, and then of jackals. O Lord,
I know the way of man is not in himself, and
it is not in man who walks to direct his own
steps. O Lord, correct me, but with justice,
not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.
Pour out your fury on the Gentiles who do not
know you, and on the families who do not call
on your name. For they have eaten up Jacob, devoured
him, and consumed him, and made his dwelling
place desolate. 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.