Wow! That was CLOSE!

Some people today will not be hearing the proper first reading for Monday of the 17th week in Ordinary Time, from the book of the prophet Jeremiah, hearing instead readings for today’s memorial. Some who do hear the reading from Jeremiah may wish that they heard something else.

Today’s reading from Jeremiah focuses on a very vivid prophetic metaphor, one that sounds earthy and crude to our ears: comparing the people of Israel to a loincloth... and intending it to be a positive image!

The point is to show how close the relationship should be between the people of Israel and the Lord. It is sad that prudery, lechery, or some other unwholesome concept of the body should prevent our minds from appreciating the metaphor. Interestingly enough, this mental block may not be far off what this prophecy is warning against.

In the prophecy, the people of Israel, whom the Lord has created to be in a close relationship with Himself, run away from that relationship to their own ruin.

So too we may shy away from a really close relationship with the Lord, we ourselves may shrink from emotional intimacy with God, we may be stubborn in our ways, we may chase after the allurements of this world – to our own ruin.

We are created for God and if we do not stay close to Him, all we have to look forward to is rot and decay into eternity.

God has made us for Himself. We should not be childish or sophomoric. We need to be close to God.