Gospel: March 22, 2024
(Friday)
5th Week of Lent
Psalter: Week 1 / (Violet)
Day of abstinence from meat (age 14 and up).
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 18: 2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7
In my distress I called upon the lord, and he heard my voice.1st Reading: Jeremiah 20: 10-13Gospel: John 10: 31-42The Jews then picked up stones to throw at him; so Jesus said, “I have openly done many good works among you, which the Father gave me to do. For which of these do you stone me?” The Jews answered, “We are not stoning you for doing a good work, but for insulting God; you are only a man, and you make yourself God.”Then Jesus replied, “Is this not written in your law: I said, you are gods? So those who received this word of God were called gods, and the Scripture is always true. What then should be said of the one anointed, and sent into the world, by the Father? Am I insulting God when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. But if I do them, even if you have no faith in me, believe because of the works I do; and know that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
Again they tried to arrest him, but Jesus escaped from their hands. He went away again to the other side of the Jordan, to the place where John had baptized, and there he stayed. Many people came to Jesus, and said, “John worked no miracles, but he spoke about you, and everything he said was true.” And many in that place became believers.
Reflection:“Our God saves”
Jesus’ followers keep Jesus’ words. A person who is rooted in God’s words does not only utter beautiful words but also acts out goodness in the concrete. Today’s Gospel conveys that the words of Jesus are inseparable from the works of Jesus. His words are his deeds and his deeds are his words. There is no dichotomy between what is being said and what is being done. Moreover, the works of Jesus are his witnesses, bearing witness to his divine sonship. Jesus was sent by the Father to carry out what the Father told him to do. Whatever Jesus did in his earthly life was his Father’s work. The Father is the plenitude of goodness. Hence, the mission of Jesus is to bring life in its fullness (cf. Jn. 10:10). Jesus’ works result in a life of quality. We are now living in a time when the quality of life seems to have deteriorated while we face many serious problems like the climate emergency and ongoing wars. Our faith challenges us to allow the Father’s plenitude of goodness to flow through our very lives. And like Jesus, may the beautiful words we say be reflected in the life we lead.
