In today's first reading, Jeremiah 31: 1-7, the Lord says to the Israelites through the prophet Jeremiah: "With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you. Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin Israel;....Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; those who plant them shall enjoy the fruits." Why? Because the "Lord has delivered his people, the remnant of Israel."
Over and over again Israel prostituted themselves, worshipping the false gods of neighboring countries. And over and over again God restored them and rebuilt "virgin Israel". So, too, with us How many times have we worshipped non-gods or chosen God substitutes, seeking love and security and peace where such cannot be found: in accumulative wealth earned in dishonest ways, promiscuity, avarice, prostitution, dishonest dealings, human trafficking, drug trafficking, forced labor, cheap labor and so on. How many times have we not gone astray, abandoning truth and justice and running from the disciplines that will lead us to the Lord, our God. And God says to us: "With an age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you. Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt," O virgin daughter/son!
When we turn back to the Lord, our God, with our whole heart, our whole soul, and our whole mind, God, we are told by Jeremiah in today's responsorial verse, "will turn [the] mourning [that comes from being unfaithful to the Lord] into joy." God "will console and gladden [us] after [our] sorrows."
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