Wednesday of 2nd Week of Lent: reflection

Theme: DON’T VILIFY HARBINGERS OF GOOD MESSAGE

Reading: Jer 18:18–20

During the last presidential election in Nigeria, among the candidates that presented themselves for the big job was a man with no corruption case dangling on his neck, who told Nigerians the real reason why their nation has remained backward and provided real solutions to move Nigeria out of her mess and position her on the path of sustainable growth. It cannot be disputed that one of the major reasons why Nigerians are going through untold economic crisis and hardship since after the last year’s presidential election was the rejection of that man and his messages by the Nigerians who chose tribal sentiments over reason. While some people verbally abused him and his followers/supporters, others took to violent physical attacks on his followers/supporters and those who came out to vote for him just to silence him.

Similar scenario played out in today’s first reading. The prophet Jeremiah warned the Israelites that disaster was imminent when their wicked way of life reached its pinnacle. Rather than heeding the voice of Jeremiah, many people began to plot to silence him. They tagged him an enemy of the state and attacked him with the intention of eliminating him. They felt that by attacking and rejecting him, they would avert the doom he prophesied, in the same manner that those who attacked Obidients believed their attacks would solve Nigeria’s problems.

Today’s first reading showed us how people started plotting Jeremiah’s downfall. Unfortunately, their evil plots and attacks against Jeremiah, as well as their rejection of him and refusal to listen to the solution he proffered didn’t save them from the doom he prophesied, they rather led to their destruction and exile in Babylon. Haven’t the refusal to listen to Obi and his rejection by tribal bigots led us to where we are now? Will the ongoing protests against hardship and high cost of living help to turn the table around? I don’t see it happening.

Dear friends, may we not dismiss voices that tell us the truth about ourselves. May we not reject and attack those that proffer good solutions to our problems; our rejection of them and their messages, and attacks on them will not bring solution to our problems. May we not repay good with evil.

May your Wednesday bear good fruits in abundance. Amen

Fr Isaac Chima