This prophetic word from God through his prophet Jeremiah reflects the Lord’s promise to his people that they would not endure captivity in Babylon forever. This is good news and a cause for great celebration among the covenantal people. The remnant of Israel’s exile then living in a strange land will one day commemorate a homecoming; their tears of grief will one day be wiped away.
In the early sixth century BC, when the Babylonians stripped the land of Judah of its wealth and then force marched its population to the east, many elderly and those with disabilities were executed or died in the midst of hardship. The anguish of the people toward atrocities committed against the most vulnerable among their families and friends would not easily mend. Elsewhere, a psalmist reflects the deep anger the exiled Jews harbored against their Babylonian captives. Widely considered to be among the most visceral passages in the Bible, Psalm 137: 9 mirrors the people’s bitterness and not God’s will.
In contrast, it is all the more remarkable to observe God’s perfect will for his people revealed to us here by the prophet. The first people the Father will gather, protect, and guide home are the blind, those with disabilities, mothers who are expecting or who are in the process of giving birth. This passage is a joyous celebration of the sanctity of human life and of homecoming. The grief of the people will one day be overcome with joy. Our Father is the God of light, life, and love. He will never abandon his faithful people. And his will for our most vulnerable population is made obvious in this remarkable passage. God wills for his people life and all that is needed in sustaining their lives. Alleluia!