5th Week of Lent
31th March 2023 (Friday) Readings and Reflection
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Reading of the Day
First Reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13
I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! "Denounce him! Let us denounce him!" say all my close friends, watching for my fall. "Perhaps he will be deceived; then we can overcome him and take our revenge on him." But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior; therefore my persecutors will stumble; they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed. Their eternal dishonour will never be forgotten. O Lord of hosts, who tests the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause. Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord! For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.
Psalm 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7 (R. see 7)
R/. In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he heard me.
Gospel : John 10:31-42
At that time: The Jews picked up stones again to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?" The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God." Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came and Scripture cannot be broken- do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming', because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. And many came to him. And they said, "John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true." And many believed in him there.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: God – my mighty champion!
Indicative: When we sincerely try to be just and committed, surely we will face opposition and persecution. But we need to be deeply convinced and surrendered{alertSuccess}
1. We find a lot of shallowness and non-committal attitude in the present world. In such a world, people who try to be deep and live faithful to the way of the Lord will certainly be resented, resisted and even persecuted
2. This is what happened to both the prophet Jeremiah in the first reading and Jesus in the gospel. Both convincingly proclaimed their profound affinity to God. Jesus explicitly attests his divine identity and oneness with the Father: “Father is in me and I am in the Father; We are one”
3. Further, both the prophet and Jesus confront, challenge and rebuke the unfaithful and obstinate leanings of the people. All the more, there was something more that was really pricking their opponents
4. It was their authenticity of them that was indirectly poking the opponents and pricking their consciences. In the case of the prophet, it was his unflinching zeal and unswerving loyalty. In the case of Jesus, it was his own works of healing
5. Hence the rejection and persecution. But what is remarkable is their spirit of total surrender and unshaken perseverance. They are neither dissipated nor do they give up their mission. They continue. They do not nurture animosity. They do not plan revenge and retaliation. Instead, they make an act of total surrender to God. They leave the entire course of action to God because He is the best God
Imperative: When we face adversities and afflictions, especially for the sake of God and good, what is our reaction and course of action? Do we persevere and surrender to God? Or do we become frustrated and agitated?{alertSuccess}