Feria II infra Hebdomadam II post Octavam Pentecostes
Readings:
Jeremias 1:4–10
Lucæ 1:5–17
In the gentle stillness of the days following Pentecost—the great outpouring of the Holy Ghost—we turn today to two prophetic beginnings: the call of Jeremias and the annunciation of John the Baptist’s conception. These readings, paired in the wisdom of the liturgical tradition, invite us to consider the mysterious workings of Divine Providence from the womb and before. They are especially fitting in this liturgical moment: Pentecost has passed, yet its fire remains with us, enlightening the Church in her mission through the ages.
“Before I formed thee in the bowels of thy mother, I knew thee.” (Jer 1:5)
In this intimate, almost whispered word from the Lord to the Prophet Jeremias, we glimpse the eternal mind of God, who calls His servants from before time. As St. Augustine teaches, “The gifts of grace do not begin with us, but with God; we are chosen before we exist, not for our merits, but for His mercy” (Enchiridion, ch. 100). This is not merely a poetic sentiment—it is a revelation of divine election. Jeremias is not only foreknown, but consecrated and appointed: “a prophet unto the nations.”
Likewise, St. Gregory the Great, commenting on the call of the prophets, teaches that “whom God chooses, He also makes worthy” (Moralia in Job, lib. V). Jeremias protests his youth and unworthiness, but the Lord rebukes his fear: “Be not afraid… for I am with thee.” Thus, the divine call is not grounded in human capacity, but in divine accompaniment. God’s word is active: “I have put my words in thy mouth.” It is reminiscent of what Our Lord later promises the Apostles: that the Holy Ghost shall teach them what to say (cf. Luke 12:12).
“He shall be great before the Lord… and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.” (Luke 1:15)
St. Luke’s Gospel reveals how John the Baptist, like Jeremias, is sanctified from the womb. The angel Gabriel announces not merely a birth, but a vocation. John will “go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias,” fulfilling the prophecy of Malachias (Mal 4:5–6), to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and prepare a people for the Lord.
St. Ambrose, reflecting on this passage, marvels at the dignity of the unborn Baptist: “Even before birth, the presence of the Lord sanctified His forerunner; already in the womb, he rejoiced” (Expositio Evangelii secundum Lucam, lib. I). The joy of the unborn Baptist at the Visitation (Luke 1:44) is not merely emotional; it is mystical. St. John Chrysostom explains that John was “illumined in the womb, not by fleshly light, but by divine grace” (Hom. in Matth., Hom. 37). Here, the Fathers affirm that sanctity is not delayed until the use of reason or outward profession—it begins by grace in the secret places of the soul.
The Spirit After Pentecost
Placed within the time after Pentecost, these readings are not merely biographical reminiscences. The Church, now inflamed with the Holy Ghost, looks back to those whom the Spirit has always moved—even in the womb. Pentecost is not a new invention, but the crowning of God’s long preparation. The prophetic mission begun in Jeremias and culminated in the Forerunner is now continued in the Church. Each of us, baptized and confirmed, is given the same Spirit.
Just as Jeremias was not to say, “I am a child,” we too must not excuse ourselves from apostolic zeal. The Holy Ghost, who filled John in the womb, now fills the Church to the ends of the earth. The call remains: to root out and to build up (cf. Jer 1:10), to prepare the way of the Lord as John did.
Conclusion: A Prayer for Courage and Purity of Mission
Let us pray, then, that we may receive the prophetic spirit—not to tell the future, but to speak truth in charity and courage. As St. Leo the Great exhorts, “Recognize, O Christian, thy dignity” (Sermo I de Nativitate Domini). We, too, were known before we were formed, and our lives are no less within God’s plan. Filled with the Spirit of Pentecost, may we not be afraid to say, “Here I am, send me.”
Collect Reflection:
Although the Mass of the day follows the ferial formularies, we might ponder with devotion the Postcommunion of Pentecost Monday, still resonant in our hearts:
“May the outpouring of the Holy Ghost cleanse our hearts, O Lord, and render them fruitful by the inward sprinkling of His dew.”
Indeed, may this dew fall upon us, as it did on Jeremias and John, and make us fruitful prophets in our own time.