Lectionary # 409. 18th week, Aug.6, 2008

Scripture: 18th week, Wed, Aug. 6,2008. Jeremiah 31:1-7. also Jeremiah
31:10.11.12.13 as Psalm and response; Matthew 15:21-28. Lectionary # 409:

Sometimes people give Jeremiah a bad wrap by saying he is a
complainer. Even the old song's expression "Jeremiah is a bullfrog" has a
negative connotation sometimes applied to our prophet for this week and
next week. Today we see that Jeremiah is quite positive about the future.
There is a future to hope in for Israel (the ten Northern Tribes here) and
Jeremiah's words are a Divine declaration of love. Jeremiah is painting an
idyllic picture of how it will be upon the return to Jerusalem and the
uniting of Israel with Judah. "Peake well observes, 'This idyllic picture
deserves to be made prominent in any estimate of Jeremiah; it is one of
many indications that he was no sour and morose enemy of recreation and
merriment." (Jeremiah, Soncino commentary, p.203). Afterall we do have one
of the most beautiful and passionate expressions of God's love inverse 2,
"I have loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore, with affection I
have drawn thee."
Jeremiah is speaking to the whole community of Israel and this
includes the "remnant" that was left behind in Jerusalem because they were
considered harmless and poor (the "Anawim of the Lord").The remnant was
faithful to the covenant for they had no one except God to depend on and
they did. We can easily picture the euphoria of the people upon their
return home and seeing Mount Zion (Jerusalem). Joy, peace, merriment, and
dancing are signs of this event being the fulfillment of Jeremiah's
prophecy. No wonder then we are given the Psalm response from a
continuation of the same chapter 31 of Jeremiah.
Turning to our Gospel we see Jesus dialoguing and then curing the
little daughter of a foreign woman from Sidon. She is described as a
Canaanite and her own quick and witty yet modest reply forces Jesus to
acknowledge her deep faith. He therefore cures her daughter. Here we have
an individual coming to Jesus whereas our first reading emphasizes the
community as a whole. Both the individual and the whole community benefit
from the loving-kindness of God and the compassion of Jesus in the case of
this woman.
In our Eucharist we come to God both as individuals and as a
community of believers. We are instructed by today's readings to realize
we need to go beyond a "Jesus and I" spirituality to a Jesus and we as a
community of believers. We are a koinonia (community of love and
friendship) called to serve others and one another as we approach the table
of the Lord. Koinonia and diakonia kiss each other in the Eucharist.
Friendship expresses its love through service (diakonia). Amen.