22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday, we step into the first of two weeks hearing from Jeremiah, one of the "major" Old Testament prophets. The witness of this ancient voice, who ministered around the time the Israelite nation was taken into exile in Babylon, proves surprisingly relevant in our own era -- an era when, like Jeremiah's, talking heads "say 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace"; an era when many, including the church itself, feel like they are in exile from all that seemed stable, familiar, and secure.

In this week's selection, we hear God lamenting over the people. The voice of the Lord in this passage tells some the challenging truths about the ways they have wandered from their relationship with God. In particular, the people have forgotten where they have come from, who they are, and whose they are. Nevertheless, God's fountain of living water still flows, and God's accusation and lament betrays God's insatiable love and desire to be in relationship.