17th Week in Ordinary Time : Thursday 28th July 2022

Behind Jeremiah’s imagery of the potter and his clay is the idea of Genesis – that God made Adam from clay. Unlike the potter breaking the pot that turns out badly, God did not repent for creating Adam or breaking him into pieces. God chose another way to heal human brokenness and bring us back to a harmonious relationship with Him and with all things.

Apart from the historical circumstance and meaning of the parable for Jeremiah and those with him, it also hints at the question that arises spontaneously in our hearts: “Why does God do such things?”

Just as Jeremiah has no idea what was in the potter’s mind but could only guess at his dissatisfaction with his work, so too, we cannot know the mind of God. In our case, human and Christian experience, especially the early Church’s experience and understanding of Jesus’ Passion, Death and Resurrection, teaches us that God can, and does, bring much great good out of natural and personal disasters for those who love Him (cf. Romans 8:28).

Lord, You have shown us mercy by not destroying our human race, though we fail to be what You have created us to be. Turn us from evil ways and grant us the grace to amend our conduct and actions.