That Sinking Feeling

By Brother Daniel Leckman, S.J.

(Credit: http://www.wikipaintings.org/)

From the Prophet Jeremiah came words that are somewhat familiar to anyone who reads the Old Testament on a regular basis – words that are never easy to hear. The context is a complicated one. God tells his Prophet to announce to his people that their sin has become so great that he will now inflict great punishment upon them: “Your hurt is incurable … there is no one to uphold your cause … all your lovers have forgotten you” (Jer. 30:12).

This after all is a God of action. He keeps his end of the covenant/bargain, and expects his children to do the same. When they don’t, what else can he do but punish them? What is striking about the passage is that there is also redemption. Once God punishes, and once the people repent, God promises to uphold and protect his people: “I’ll restore the people’s fortunes … I will make them honoured amongst the nations” (Jer. 30:18).