5th Week of Lent
30th March 2023 (Thursday) Readings and Reflection
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Reading of the Day
First Reading: Genesis 17:3-9
In those days: Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, "Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God." And God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.
Psalm 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 (R. 8a)
R/. The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
Gospel : John 8:51-59
At that time: Jesus said to the Jews, "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.' Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?" Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.' But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad." So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Covenant with commitment!
Indicative: The fact of our human existence and life is that we belong to God. We will live in full measures now and later forever to the extent we live in this relation of belongingness{alertSuccess}
1. The beauty of our vocation is to belong always and entirely to God so that He is OUR God and we are HIS people. In fact, this is our identity as well. It is in this belonging to God, lies one’s vocation and identity, be it the Israelites, leaders, the prophets, the apostles and every disciple of Christ
2. This identity and vocation find their concrete expression in a dynamic relationship with God. This dynamic process is termed a “covenant” in the biblical context. Some of the essential traits of this covenant are mentioned in both readings
3. Covenant in the first place invites us to enter into a relationship with God. It is a loving and faithful relationship. This covenant brings radical changes in the one who enters into the covenant. Life changes and person changes. This is symbolised in the figure of Abraham
4. First of all, the name changes, from Abram to Abraham. It is not something merely technical but change of identity itself. Abraham becomes the “father” of all nations. He no more remain as an individual of a particular tribe or nation but now he “fathers’ all. He cuts across the boundaries
5. New criteria are set up. It is a universal family, for which only belonging and fidelity to God and his covenant becomes the fundamental norm. Thereby, he becomes “fertile”, as he begets many children. It is no more physical fertility and posterity. It is the spiritual fecundity
Imperative: Like Abraham, we too are invited to find our identity, meaning and fulfilment of life in a covenantal relationship with God. We are called to become more “productive” and “universal”{alertSuccess}