4th Week of Lent
23rd March 2023 (Thursday) Readings and Reflection
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Reading of the Day
First Reading: Exodus 32:7-14
In those days: The Lord said to Moses, "Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" And the Lord said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you." But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, "O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, 'With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it for ever." And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
Psalm 106:19-20, 21-22, 23 (R. see 4ab)
R/. O Lord, remember us with the favour you show to your people.
Gospel : John 5:31-47
At that time: Jesus said to the Jews, "If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Testimony trustworthy!
Indicative: God constantly testifies to us of His abiding love and mercy. If only we are open, we can see and experience{alertSuccess}
1. There are so many testimonies that bear witness to Jesus as the Son of God and Messiah. They attest that he is one with the Father and does the works of the Father. They are namely John the Baptist, Jesus’ own works, the Father Himself, the Scriptures and Moses
2. But the Jews fail to recognise and accept Jesus’ identity. They refuse to believe in him despite all the testimonies. The reasons are plenty. Their ancestors too were no different. They became depraved
3. They were ungrateful. They turned aside from the way pointed out by God. They became stiff-necked. They would not heed God’s cautions and admonitions. They would not mind His counsel and guidance. They turn disloyal, falling to false gods. They substitute the worship of true God with the idol-worship
4. Similarly, the unbelieving Jews of Jesus’ time too were totally closed and stubborn in their hardness of heart. They had no love of God in them. They sought human praise and not from God. They sought their own glory and not God’s
5. It is really sad that the Jews who claim to revere, believe and follow Moses do not follow him in reality. If only they believe him, then they should remember how magnanimously he pleaded on their behalf for God’s mercy, lest His wrath would kindle against them and destroy them
Imperative: There are numerous witnesses that constantly testify to us God’s unfailing love and mercy and benevolence for us, and His unceasing mighty interventions in our life. Let us not be obstinate. Let us see and live{alertSuccess}