THE WORD OF THE LORD HAS CREATED HATRED FOR ME

By Fr. Felix (African Times Guest Writer)

Jeremiah had a tough time, telling the citizens

of Jerusalem that their city was to be besieged

and destroyed, and that they themselves were

to be dragged into exile.

He tried to evade his duty of announcing this

dire message, but the LORD gave him no peace,

no matter how much he tries to drive the

message from his mind.

So God overpowers or seduces the prophet and

compels him to proclaim the message. Both

images are important, for it is a tough, but at

the same time a willing and joyful compulsion.

Jeremiah almost has a sort of love-hate

relationship to the LORD.

There is nothing irreverent in this; or at least,

many of the saints do it. When St Teresa of

Avila fell off her horse into a cold river, her

comment was, ‘Lord, if that is how you treat

your friends, no wonder you have so few of

them.’

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