The Lord hears my voice
Holy Week, for me, has always been a period of conflicting emotions. It’s difficult to know whether to be happy or sad, broken-hearted or elated. Our Saviour is given up to a despicable mob who kill him in an appalling way. On the other hand, we know how the week ends, with salvation, resurrection, new life. And more human confusion and doubt from Jesus’ followers.
Despite the events we are all living through, of heartbreak, death, uncertainty and, frankly, terror, the coming Easter still offers hope.
Who better than the lamenting prophet Jeremiah to lead us towards the coming week. “Terror from every side.” We can perhaps have an understanding of his state of mind as the people reacted with scorn and violence to his fearless warnings.
His reaction is to claim the Lord at his side, “a mighty hero”. He goes on: “Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.”
In the responsorial psalm, the psalmist declares: “In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.”
Wise words for the time and for our time; words that we can hold on to as we move forward with Jesus through pain and desolation to a promised new dawn.