Friday of the Fifth Week in Lent 2020
Dear Friends,
United with each one of you in prayer and love. I have remembered you in my Mass today. The Mass Intention, for Friday 3rd April is for MC.
Gospel Reading from Saint John 10:31-42.
The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’ – and the scripture cannot be annulled – can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?
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 in the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. Many came to him, and they were saying, “John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” And many believed in him there.
In today’s Gospel we see Jesus often impresses upon us the need to act upon his word. One can argue with words, but deeds cannot be contradicted. They speak for themselves.
The Word is planted deep in me, and I pray in the words of the Apostle James, “Let me be a doer of the word, and not a forgetful hearer.” Once again its good for us to recall that this is the Year of the Word’.
How is God’s word changing my Life?
The people in today’s reading condemn Jesus because of their particular image of God.
What is my image of God? Who is God for me?
The best image is to see God as Pure Love.
Have I ever condemned someone because I nursed a warped image of God?
The works of Jesus are the works of love. This is the love we know of him – love unto death. What we see in Jesus, we can see in the Father. What the Father sees in Jesus, he sees and loves in us. We pray that our hearts may be made like the heart of Jesus.
Lets stay strong and safe, united in love and prayer with you all.
Fr John