Daily Mass Readings and Reflections March 28, 2023

5th Week of Lent

28th March 2023 (Tuesday) Readings and Reflection

Reading of the Day

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First Reading: Numbers 21:4-9

In those days: From Mount Hor the Hebrews set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go round the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food." Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

Psalm 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21 (R. 2)

R/. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.

Gospel : John 8:21-30

At that time: Jesus said to the Pharisees, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come." So the Jews said, "Will he kill himself, since he says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?" He said to them, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins." So they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him." They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him." As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

Daily Gospel Reflection

The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}

Main Theme: If you repent, God will relent

Indicative: It is typical human nature to waver in their faith and commitment in the face of any slight difficulty. But on God’s part, He is ever faithful and merciful{alertSuccess}

1. Fickle Mindedness characterises the Israelites. All their gratitude and fidelity shake and crumble at the very instance of any adversity. All the remembrance and praise of God vanish when met with some discomfort and inconvenience. They become annoyed and impatient and are led to grumbling, complaining and blaming God and His leaders

2. The Jews in the gospel oppose Jesus and the cause is very clear. They belong to the world and what is below. They become blind to the kingdom and the above. This concretely leads them to blind themselves to the identity and mission of Jesus. They fail to see him as intrinsically united with the Father

3. Jesus’ identity is the same as the Father’s. This is indicated by his twice-affirmation, “I am”. This term recalls the scene of the “burning bush” where God reveals His identity to Moses, “I am who am”

4. This failure to recognise Jesus’ identity also leads them to the failure to recognise his mission. Jesus’ mission is nothing but doing God’s will and doing what is pleasing to the Father. In this sense, sin is not just something religious or moral. Sin is not merely failing to perform some religious duties and activities. Neither is sin merely a failure in moral adherence. Sin is deeper than this

5. Sin is more fundamental. On one hand, sin is a fundamental failure to recognise Jesus’ identity and mission, a failure to belong to him, and a failure to belong to the above. On the other hand, it is belonging to the world and the below. It is not believing in the Lord but rejecting Him. Sin is being unstable and disloyal in faith in God. It is turning ungrateful and falling into a spirit of impatient blaming

Imperative: Freedom cannot be divorced from truth. To be free is to be true and truthful. And to be truthful is to be faithful and authentic{alertSuccess}