ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 6, 2026
In worship today, we will let the Prophet Jeremiah speak to us on behalf of God. I’m not one to suggest that the prophets were dummies, like in ventriloquism, where the voice we hear is really the voice of God. However, they were, in my opinion, discerning of the Spirit’s message of mercy, kindness, love, and justice. They were not foretelling the future, but simply telling the truth. And Jeremiah didn’t seem concerned about speaking honestly and harshly toward the king. The Prophet said,
You “….set your eyes and heart
on nothing but unjust gain;
you spill the blood of the innocent;
you practice cruelty;
you oppress your subjects” (22:16-17).
Jesus spoke with equal strength, but he employed a slightly different approach in most circumstances. Because of his alternative method, people don’t see it for what it is. I think about the nonviolent resistance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., though some would argue that it was weak, too passive, and lacked impact. Yet Gandhi, Oscar Romero, and other embodiments of nonviolent resistance believed the desired end should be fully present in the chosen method.
There are days when we need prophets, people who speak truth to power in strong and unmistakable ways. Prophets make us uncomfortable, but there are days when a little (or a lot of) discomfort is needed. Yet don’t let the gentle and compassionate approach of Jesus have you missing what he was really communicating—something equally profound.
Give me ears to hear and a discerning faith so that I might understand what you have always been doing, O God of justice, equality, redemption, and healing. You love me and at the same time seek to challenge me. Help me to embrace both. Amen.
