Jeremiah is known as the prophet of doom and gloom – and there is plenty of doom and gloom in his writing. It was not an easy time for the Israelites. But it’s not all doom and gloom – in today’s reading we hear Jeremiah foretelling a new start, another covenant: I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts … All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the Lord. Another start, another covenant – yes, there is a theme here – it’s not a coincidence!
John on the other hand describes Jesus in a downbeat mood: “I am troubled now.” Jesus recognized that the path to his glorification is via death – the grain of wheat has to fall to the ground before it rises again to feed the hungry. He knows this is unavoidable: Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
We should not be surprised if the doom and gloom that surrounds us gets us down. God doesn’t promise that we will feel happy at all times. If Jesus felt troubled we should certainly accept that we may feel troubled, and not think that we are somehow inadequate or ungrateful when we are.
The reason we keep returning to our sacred scriptures is that they tell us of all the people who came before, who have had the same experiences as we do, who have lived and sometimes died in difficult times, who have been hurt, felt pain – but they also found that place from which they could recognize that God had not abandoned them, that God would forgive and forget whatever needed to be forgiven and forgotten, and finally He would glorify His name through His son. So that Jesus, when he is lifted up, first on the cross, and then back to life, will lift us up with him. We die with him so that we can rise with him. Then we too will be glorious, our little part in the glory of God.