Today as we listen to the words of the scriptures, we are reminded of the need for us to trust in the Lord, in His promises and in His providence. We must listen to God and hold onto Him, and not to be easily swayed by the words of false prophets and all those who may attempt to mislead us for their own benefits and selfish gains.
In our first reading today (Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22), we hear how the prophet Jeremiah faced tough opposition from false prophets that were present during the end days of the kingdom of Judah. Those false prophets tried to mislead the king and the whole nation for their own benefit and gain. When the prophet Jeremiah warned that the Lord’s judgment and day of reckoning would come upon them with the destruction of Jerusalem and Judah, the false prophets tried to speak otherwise.
The false prophet Hananiah told the king that the Lord would help Judah to crush the Babylonians and would reverse all the losses and humiliations that they had suffered under them. But these were not the words of God, rather, they were the words of opportunism and were designed to please its listeners. Hananiah said something that everyone wanted to hear. He provided reassurance and hope, but unfortunately it was false reassurance and false hope.
What Hananiah told the king was meant to earn him good standing with the king and with his council members. History frequently has shown that such people sometimes are agents of the enemy, placed in the court of the king to sow confusion and to undermine them before the enemy was ready to strike. Hananiah might not have been an agent of the enemy, but it is clear that his actions supported his own agenda and was not the prophetic Word of God.
In the end, the kings of Judah did rebel against the Babylonians to free themselves from subjugation. They thought that they could free themselves without God’s help by allying themselves with other people of other religions. If only that they had seen the futility of their efforts and how they would be humiliated and crushed for their lack of faith in God. We are all reminded that to trust in man and in the world is futile and pointless, as none of these can compare to trust in the Lord.
In Matthew 14:22-36 we hear the story of the Lord coming to His disciples in the middle of a great storm. The disciples were convinced that their boat would sink due to the wind and waves. In the distance they see what they thought must be a ghost. As the “ghost” got closer, they could see that it actually was Jesus, Jesus walking on the water. Out of faith, St. Peter asked the Lord to allow him to come to Him. And indeed, Peter begins to walk on the water himself. But along the way, St. Peter begins to doubt, and his doubt causes him to begin to sink. The Lord helps Peter, rebuking him for his lack of faith.
We are reminded today to put God first as our trusted hope and ally in whatever situation and challenges we encounter in life. We must not be like the king of Judah who easily trusted in the falsehoods of Hananiah, in the lies of the false prophets who tried to sell untruths and temporary respite and comfort, but a respite and comfort that lasts only for a short time before reality comes and sets in.
We all should put more faith in God, putting our trust in Him Who has provided for us and blessed us with His love. And God has proved to be ever faithful even in our darkest moments and hours. Let us all cling to Him and not fall to the temptation of pleasure and listening to the lies of the devil, all the falsehoods that did not come from God. Instead, although the path forward may be filled with trials and challenges, let us all trust in the Lord, Who has always been faithful to the Covenant He has established with us.
Just as He lifted St. Peter up from the water and helped him to renew his faith in Him, let us all pray and ask the Lord for the strength and faith to be always ready to persevere, that we may indeed be filled with trust and faith in God, now and always.
May God Bless You and Grant You His Peace!