Some said, “This is truly the prophet”,

Others “This is the Christ”,

Yet others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?”

Have you ever been talked about behind your back in defamation? In our readings today there are two persons who are being talked about behind their backs. Not only are they being talked about, they are also being set up for a demise. In our first reading, Jeremiah knew about the plot being set up to get rid of him because the Lord told him. Yet, he knew not why. In the Gospel the Pharisees have begun to set up Jesus’ demise. Yet, he did not know why.

Why do bad people want to harm or get rid of good people? In both cases the accusations and plotting were done without hearing from the victims themselves and finding out what is it they are really doing. In both cases the plotters were not interested. In both cases false information was spread about the victims.

Jesus suffered injustice – Jeremiah suffered injustice – and how many more with them and after them – and how many more today – and perhaps even ourselves. What is God saying to us in these readings? Just as God was with Jeremiah and Jesus, so too, God is with us. We have only to listen and to hear, not only with our ears but also with our hearts.