Jeremiah and Our Lady Offer Models in Faith: Do Not Be Afraid

Jeremiah and Our Lady Offer Models in Faith: Do Not Be Afraid In today’s Gospel, we are presented with the Lord sending out his disciples and Apostles to proclaim the Word. The Lord warns them about the challenges they will face, including persecution. Let us pay attention to the instructions the Lord gives to the Apostles in this Homily. The first reading, which is not included in this audio, focuses on God’s call to the Prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah faithfully conveys the truth revealed to him by God to the people of Israel. Unfortunately, Israel had forgotten God’s teachings and had turned to worshiping idols. Jeremiah urgently reminds them to turn away from false gods and worship the one true God. He warns Israel that due to their rejection of God, they will face the consequences of war and capture by their enemies. During this time, false prophets and priests mislead the people, advising them not to heed Jeremiah’s message. Undeterred, Jeremiah insists that Israel must change their ways or face destruction. As a result of his boldness, Jeremiah is seized, beaten, and held captive. Let us try to empathize with Jeremiah’s feelings during this challenging period. His faith serves as a model for us, which we can reflect upon in this Homily. Furthermore, the Homily touches upon the faith model of Our Lady. By listening attentively, we can learn how the faith of Mary should influence our own. We encourage you to engage with this Meditation Media and delve deeper into the lessons presented. Fr. Jacob Otieno, SMM, is a Montfort Missionary priest from Kenya, graciously offers his Gospel reflections. He is currently visiting the shrines of the Company of Mary located in Connecticut and on Long Island. The Company of Mary is actively working towards establishing a shrine in Kenya and has expressed a desire to study the Marian Shrines in the United States as part of their preparations. The forthcoming shrine’s name in Kenya is Our Lady of Peace. The second picture on the website post shows Fr. Jacob during his Homily.