In Jeremiah 22, the prophet warns of God's anger against the kings. He writes: "Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice; who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing, and does not give him his wages."
As a result of all this, Jeremiah warns, "With the burial of an ass he shall be buried, dragged and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem."
Modern readers of Jeremiah dismiss his words. One path is to read them as a warning to Jeremiah. Another is to assume that his abuses were greater than any we might commit. As a result, modern day prophets who re-speak Jeremiah's words are often criticized and ridiculed. It doesn't take them long to learn to keep silent.
As a result, injustice creeps into our system. Over time it gains speed and momentum.
I am often congratulated for the work I do with Habitat for Humanity. "What a great thing - to build those houses and establish homes." But when I share the stories of the homeowners, of their hard work at jobs most of us would never take, the smiles disappear.
One of the advantages to following the Lectionary is that I don't get to pick the verses I read. So this morning, when I was directed to turn to Jeremiah, it was not of my choosing. I would have chosen to read something different. I would have chosen to read words of comfort or assurance. What I read were words which challenge my assumptions.
If it is righteousness that I seek, I must ask questions of justice.
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