Responding to the call of God may make us experience both love and suffering. The Lord Jesus shows us that both love and passion are the way to salvation. About Love, God assures that He is with us. Suffering, the world will always inflict pains on us in attempts to persuade us to abandon the call of God.

The first reading tells a fascinating story of Jeremiah’s relationship with God. The relationship is narrated in romantic words “You duped me, O Lord, and I let myself be duped”. The New American Bible, Revised edition translates this statement as “You seduced me, O Lord , and I let myself be seduced”, offering us a better understanding. This relationship is of love and suffering. When God called Jeremiah to be bearer of his word, Jeremiah expressed his inability due to his young age. But God encouraged him and finally touched with His hand the mouth of Jeremiah giving him the word. Jeremiah loved his privilege as a messenger of God, a prophet. He gave his entire life to it. However, Jeremiah’s beloved profession brought him suffering. He became a subject of mockery. He felt discouraged and wanted to quit prophesying.

God has called each one of us to bear witness to Him through relationship and functions. Isn’t the story of Jeremiah our own stories? We undergo similar experience in the call to bear witness to Jesus whether in words or/and deeds? Could you be feeling like quitting your beloved job in the midst of challenges? Or breaking your beloved relationship because of the current suffering? Remember the tones of love that you have enjoyed throughout the years and the opportunity the present suffering might be offering you to bring holiness to your spouse.

Jeremiah remembered the love with which God had loved him and his loving response to God. “It becomes like fire burning in my heart”, he said. Jesus, the incarnate word of God, himself could not resist this burning fire of love and went forth unto the cross. He died for love of us and His heavenly Father. Poor Peter had not understood this logic of love and suffering. Like a young soldier who had loved so much to become one and defend his nation, run away from the battlefield when the moment of defending the nation came. His commander made him reflect how glorious was the moment of the battle, an opportunity to bring victory home and a chance to make our people proud and secure.

So the Master reminds us today “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”. Love challenges suffering and overpowers it. Let us pray, dear beloved that the Spirit of God may keep us burning with the fire of love. And that love may help us remain faithfully committed to witness to Christ through word and actions.