Jeremiah 18:18-20 / Matthew 20:17-28
There is one question that seems to have an obvious answer.
The question is: How is it that we have enemies?
The obvious answer would be that someone has done us a terrible wrong and we can’t forgive that person.
So that person is our enemy, and because the pain and the hurt is too deep, we can’t forgive that person.
In the 1st reading, the enemies of the prophet Jeremiah were plotting against him.
Although Jeremiah had done nothing wrong or harmful to them, they were offended by his call to repentance.
Jeremiah’s enemies were not taking revenge. They just wanted to get rid of a nuisance and silence the truth.
In the gospel, Jesus knew what His enemies would do to Him.
They wanted nothing less than to take His life.
But Jesus and Jeremiah taught us that in the face of adversaries and adversities, they turned to God for help and protection.
Let us not fight against our enemies, but let us pray for them.
God is the Divine Judge and He will see justice done.
Let us stand by God and He will stand by us.