The Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time – First Reading – 06/21/2026

The Prophet Jeremiah is a veritable force of nature, blasting the powers that be for their false prophesying.  Yet, we see his internal fear and anxiety after suffering harsh retribution for speaking the truth.  Nonetheless, he is unbowed, showing by example that those who trust in the Lord will not be put to shame.

Transcript

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Howdy, and welcome to Bob the Lector. I'm Bob. The purpose of this podcast is to inspire Catholic lecturers to bring their proclamation of God's Word to life. I apologize for my voice. I'm fighting a cold, but the liturgy waits for no one. This episode is for the June 21st, Sunday Mass's first reading. It's the twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, year A. A reading from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah said, I hear the whisperings of many. Terror on every side. Denounce, let us denounce him. All those who are my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. Perhaps he will be trapped, then we can prevail and take our vengeance on him. But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion. My persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O Lord of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked. The word of the Lord. Welcome to the twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, y'all. This is an awesome reading. Jeremiah is such a force of nature, but as we'll see, there is a fearful interior underneath his tough exterior. We have lots of different emotions making this a very powerful reading. So let's get to it, shall we? I always start my own lecture practice with preparation, which is not the external proclamation, but the internal discernment of the message. What is God saying to us? What is his purpose? What is the meaning of this reading? Because if it doesn't mean anything to us, how can we as lectors make it mean anything to the congregation before us? One of the tenets of public speaking is to know your audience. Who's the target recipient of this reading? Who should we focus on? This message is for anyone who is downhearted, especially those who are the subject of betrayal by a trusted loved one, whether it's a friend, spouse, sibling, parent, child, or coworker. Direct your proclamation to them, with the confidence of Jeremiah, that faith in the Lord is the long game. Some historical perspective might be interesting, along with the setting. Jeremiah prophesied in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BC, just before the Babylonian exile. Jeremiah was not a popular guy. He was the source of never-ending bad news, foretelling the Babylonian captivity. Immediately after one such bout of prophesying, Peshur, one of the temple priests, struck Jeremiah and put him in stocks at the upper gate of Benjamin near the temple. This was a bustling area where citizens gathered for trade, legal matters, and social interaction. So Jeremiah's humiliation could not have been more shameful or public. Pashua released him the next morning. After this long and sleepless night, you would expect him to be contrite and penitent. No, not Jeremiah. In fact, just the opposite. As soon as he was free, he doubled and tripled down, telling Peshur that all the wealth of Jerusalem would be plundered and carried away to Babylon by their enemies. And in fact, Peshur himself, all the members of his household, and all his friends, will likewise be carried off, where they will die and be buried. Wow. This is what takes place immediately before our reading, but with all of his outside toughness, inside, as our congregations will see, Jeremiah is also racked by fear and anxiety. Rightfully so. What do you learn from this reading? We begin. Jeremiah said, I hear the whisperings of many. Terror on every side. Denounce, let us denounce him. All those who are my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. Perhaps he will be trapped, then we can prevail and take our vengeance on him. This is a model of honest prayer. There is no pretense or sugarcoating these raw, dark emotions. Jeremiah is brutally honest with God, bearing the interior battle of a faithful soul in emotional distress. Read the first two words in a bold and factual manner. Proclaim the next line. I hear the whisperings of many, with high energy, fear, and anxiety. When you get to the words of his persecutors, terror on every side. Speak in a half whisper, without being overly dramatic. Continue that half whisper for the next line. Denounce! Let us denounce him, making the second denounce stronger than the first. For the next sentence, use a tone of voice and facial expression of continued fear and anxiety, but also a sense of woundedness. Convert all those who are my friends into a question, then insert a small pause and answer your question with the same distressed demeanor, are on the watch for any misstep of mine. If you can do so authentically, add a voice tremble when you say watch for added emotion. Speak the next sentence in a conspiratorial and wicked tenor as you again take on the persona of Jeremiah's persecutors, although you're not half whispering anymore. Emphasize the words hear, terror, the first announce, the second announce, friends, any, trapped, prevail, and vengeance. Pause after the second hymn and make a significant change in tone from fear to optimism for the next sentence. Next we have, but the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion. My persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure, they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. This is Jeremiah's internal conversation, so read it accordingly. Proclaim this sentence with eye contact as you address the souls before you who may be the recipients of a loved one's betrayal. Speak with hopeful confidence, but the Lord is with me like a mighty champion. Speak with even stronger confidence when you finish the sentence. My persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. Emphasize Lord, mighty champion, the first will and not. Pause after the word champion as if it's the end of the sentence, and the next clause stands on its own. Insert a micro pause after failure. Insert additional micro pauses after lasting and unforgettable, presenting that line with an almost chant-like cadence. Insert a pause after confusion, as you again change tone from optimism to a reverent and prayerful demeanor for the next sentence, which is, O Lord of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on him. For to you I have entrusted my cause. Jeremiah is shifting from an introspective reflection to a prayerful conversation with God. Emphasize, Lord, test, mind, heart, witness, vengeance, and the third you. Pause after cause, the end of this sentence, as we have the third and final shift in tone from reverent prayer to jubilant praise. Finish strongly with Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked. Note Jeremiah now giving thanks using the past tense. God has already delivered justice to the poor and oppressed. Use a joyful and bold tone and demeanor with this sentence, with strong eye contact, as if engaging the congregation to join in with this exclamation of praise. Stress, sing, praise, rescued, life, poor, power, and wicked. Well, that's all for now. Thanks for listening. My hope is these ideas will help you find your authentic voice, so your proclamation of God's word will transform your listeners, whether they're in pain and broken, or just going through the motions, because the good news deserves great delivery. Visit us on the web at bobthelecture.org and we'll see you at the Ambo. By the way, if you like what you hear and are so inclined, please give us five stars on Apple Podcasts and forward this podcast to your fellow lecturers, your pastor, and your liturgy director. Thanks so much.