Wednesday
of the Fifth Week of Lent
Lectionary: 253
Lectionary: 253
King
Nebuchadnezzar said:
“Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
that you will not serve my god,
or worship the golden statue that I set up?
Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made,
whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet,
flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe,
and all the other musical instruments;
otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace;
and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar,
“There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you
in this matter.
If our God, whom we serve,
can save us from the white-hot furnace
and from your hands, O king, may he save us!
But even if he will not, know, O king,
that we will not serve your god
or worship the golden statue that you set up.”
King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual
and had some of the strongest men in his army
bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
and cast them into the white-hot furnace.
Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles,
“Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?”
“Assuredly, O king,” they answered.
“But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt,
walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.”
Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed,
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him;
they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies
rather than serve or worship any god
except their own God.”
“Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
that you will not serve my god,
or worship the golden statue that I set up?
Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made,
whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet,
flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe,
and all the other musical instruments;
otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace;
and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?”
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar,
“There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you
in this matter.
If our God, whom we serve,
can save us from the white-hot furnace
and from your hands, O king, may he save us!
But even if he will not, know, O king,
that we will not serve your god
or worship the golden statue that you set up.”
King Nebuchadnezzar’s face became livid with utter rage
against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual
and had some of the strongest men in his army
bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
and cast them into the white-hot furnace.
Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles,
“Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?”
“Assuredly, O king,” they answered.
“But,” he replied, “I see four men unfettered and unhurt,
walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God.”
Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed,
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him;
they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies
rather than serve or worship any god
except their own God.”
Responsorial
PsalmDN 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56
R.
(52b) Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim;
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;
And blessed is your holy and glorious name,
praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you who look into the depths
from your throne upon the cherubim;
praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
“Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,
praiseworthy and glorious forever.”
R. Glory and praise for ever!
Verse
Before The GospelSEE LK
8:15
Blessed
are they who have kept the word with a generous heart
and yield a harvest through perseverance.
and yield a harvest through perseverance.
GospelJN 8:31-42
Jesus
said to those Jews who believed in him,
“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave does not remain in a household forever,
but a son always remains.
So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
But you are trying to kill me,
because my word has no room among you.
I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence;
then do what you have heard from the Father.”
They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children,
you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father!”
So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication.
We have one Father, God.”
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and am here;
I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”
“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave does not remain in a household forever,
but a son always remains.
So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
But you are trying to kill me,
because my word has no room among you.
I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence;
then do what you have heard from the Father.”
They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children,
you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father!”
So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication.
We have one Father, God.”
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and am here;
I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”
Meditation: "The truth will make you
free"
Do you know the joy,
peace, and freedom which God offers to those who trust in him and obey his
word? God sent his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to bring us God's kingdom of
righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Jesus came to
rescue us from our sinful pride and slavery to sin. He came to rescue us from
Satan's snares and the clutches of hell, and to free us from the world's
temptation to empty glory and lust for greed and power. Only Jesus can truly
set us free and reconcile us with God - every other way falls short of God's
plan to save and deliver us from death, corruption, and sin.
Why did the religious
authorities reject Jesus's offer of freedom, forgiveness, and new life in the
kingdom of God? Despite Jesus' numerous signs and miracles, the Jewish
authorities could not accept his claim to speak and act in the name of his
heavenly Father. They were blinded by their misguided ideas of how the Messiah
would restore Israel and rule the earth. And Jesus revealed to them how Satan
had led them into temptation - both to reject him as the Messiah and to thwart
his claim by killing him.
Jesus met their
opposition and hostility with courage and determination to do his Father's
will. He willingly embraced the cross in order to destroy the works of Satan
and to save both Jews and Gentiles through his atoning sacrifice for the sin of
the world. Jesus shows us the way to the kingdom of God - through faith and
obedience to God's word and will for our lives. To be a follower and disciple
of the Lord Jesus requires faith and obedience - they are two sides of the same
coin. The word disciple literally means one who learns from
the Master and who listens to the voice of the Teacher. And
the word forobedience literally means to listen under and
be subordinate to the one who has rightful authority to teach and command what
is just and true.
The free gift of faith
How can we grow in faith and discipleship - by faithfully following the Lord and obeying his word. Faith is a free supernatural gift of God. It is more than just a belief in the truths of God. It is first and foremost a personal relationship of trust and obedience to the Lord and his word. The Lord is worthy of our complete trust and wholehearted devotion because he is utterly reliable, just and true, and he is faithful to his word. That is why we can entrust our lives to him and submit to him without reservation.
How can we grow in faith and discipleship - by faithfully following the Lord and obeying his word. Faith is a free supernatural gift of God. It is more than just a belief in the truths of God. It is first and foremost a personal relationship of trust and obedience to the Lord and his word. The Lord is worthy of our complete trust and wholehearted devotion because he is utterly reliable, just and true, and he is faithful to his word. That is why we can entrust our lives to him and submit to him without reservation.
God does not leave us in
the dark or remain distant and silent. He reveals himself to all who earnestly
seek him and hunger for his truth. God, in fact, first seeks us out and draws
us to himself. We could not find him if he did not first seek to reveal himself
to us. That is why we need to respond to God's gracious gift of invitation with
an open and receptive heart that wants to listen, learn, and receive what God
wishes to give us. Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) said, "I believe, in order to
understand - and I understand, the better to believe" (Sermon 43:7,9).
The test of faith
In the Old Testament Book of Daniel we see a remarkable example of faith being put to the test in the midst of trial and adversity. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the three young companions of Daniel, were commanded by the king of Persia to bow down and submit to the pagan idols of his nation, they unhesitatingly said, "We will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up" (Daniel 3:18). They knew God's command, "Do not worship false idols"(Exodus 20:3-6; Deuteronomy 12:29-31). They decided it was far better to obey God and entrust their lives to him rather than give in to the threats of others. God gave them courage to take a bold stand for their faith. They willingly accepted the King's punishment as they were bound and thrown into a burning fiery furnace.
In the Old Testament Book of Daniel we see a remarkable example of faith being put to the test in the midst of trial and adversity. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, the three young companions of Daniel, were commanded by the king of Persia to bow down and submit to the pagan idols of his nation, they unhesitatingly said, "We will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up" (Daniel 3:18). They knew God's command, "Do not worship false idols"(Exodus 20:3-6; Deuteronomy 12:29-31). They decided it was far better to obey God and entrust their lives to him rather than give in to the threats of others. God gave them courage to take a bold stand for their faith. They willingly accepted the King's punishment as they were bound and thrown into a burning fiery furnace.
Daniel tells us how God
was very present to these three young men as they proclaimed their faith in
him. God showed his presence to the three men and walked with them in the fiery
furnace. As a remarkable sign of God's power to the pagan rulers of Persia, God
kept the three men from harm and delivered them from death (Daniel 3:25,28). Do you trust in God to
give you his help and strength when your faith is put to the test?
True and false sources
of identity
The scribes and Pharisees, who were the religious authorities of the Jews, questioned Jesus' authority to speak and act in God's name. They questioned Jesus' claim to forgive sins and to set people free from slavery to sin. They understood that only God had power to forgive sins and to release people from their burden of guilt and shame. They refused to accept that Jesus' authority was given to him by his Father in heaven. Jesus tells them that they think evil of him and desire to kill him because they are under the influence and power of the "father of lies" who is opposed to the one true Father and Creator who made us in his image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27).
The scribes and Pharisees, who were the religious authorities of the Jews, questioned Jesus' authority to speak and act in God's name. They questioned Jesus' claim to forgive sins and to set people free from slavery to sin. They understood that only God had power to forgive sins and to release people from their burden of guilt and shame. They refused to accept that Jesus' authority was given to him by his Father in heaven. Jesus tells them that they think evil of him and desire to kill him because they are under the influence and power of the "father of lies" who is opposed to the one true Father and Creator who made us in his image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27).
Jesus explains that he
is speaking of two different senses of "fatherhood". The first is a
physical identity through natural fatherhood. And the second and more
significant identity is a self-chosen one that is the result of being led and
formed in a moral way of thinking and living one's life that has been shaped
through the example, words, and influence of someone we are consciously or
unconsciously following and imitating.
We do not grow or learn
in a vacuum. We are shaped for better or for worse by those we choose to
imitate and follow. Sin leads us away from God's truth and the help he gives us
to follow him. Slavery to sin is ultimately rooted in the father of
lies (John 8:44), whom Scripture calls the devil (Luke 4:1) and Satan (Luke 10:18), the ruler of
this present world who is opposed to God (John 12:31; 2
Corinthians 4:4).
True freedom comes from
God
The freedom which Jesus offers his followers is freedom from the power of sin, Satan, and the worldly influence of those who oppose God and his ways. We are powerless to set ourselves free from bondage to Satan, sin, and death (Romans 3:23; 5:6). That is why the Lord Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross (1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5-6; Colossians 2:14). His death on the cross has won victory and pardon for us, and peace with God. Through Jesus' sacrifice we are not only forgiven and reconciled with God - we become the adopted sons and daughters of God (Romans 8:14-16). We can call God our Father because the Lord Jesus has reconciled us and redeemed us from slavery to sin and Satan.
The freedom which Jesus offers his followers is freedom from the power of sin, Satan, and the worldly influence of those who oppose God and his ways. We are powerless to set ourselves free from bondage to Satan, sin, and death (Romans 3:23; 5:6). That is why the Lord Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross (1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:5-6; Colossians 2:14). His death on the cross has won victory and pardon for us, and peace with God. Through Jesus' sacrifice we are not only forgiven and reconciled with God - we become the adopted sons and daughters of God (Romans 8:14-16). We can call God our Father because the Lord Jesus has reconciled us and redeemed us from slavery to sin and Satan.
A redeemed slave is not
entirely free until all of his chains and weights have been broken and
destroyed. The Lord Jesus alone has the power to release us from every chain
and burden that would keep us in bondage to sinful habits and hurtful desires.
Are there any chains - any sinful patterns, harmful attitudes, and addictive
behavior - that you need to be released from? Allow the Lord Jesus to unbind
you and bring you healing, pardon, and freedom to walk in his way of love and
truth. The Lord Jesus sets us free from slavery to our own
selfishness and sinful desires in order to set us free for a
joy-filled life of love and service for his kingdom. Paul the Apostle reminds
us that Christ has won freedom for each one of us - not to serve ourselves or
do as we please - but rather to please the Lord and to serve our neighbors in
love for their sake (Galatians 5:1,13). Do you accept and believe Christ's word
of truth, love, and freedom for your life?
"Lord Jesus, write
your words of love and truth upon my heart and make me a diligent student and a
worthy disciple of your word."
A Daily Quote for Lent: The upright of
heart, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Do you know who
the upright of heart are? They are those who wish what God wishes. Therefore,
do not try to twist God's will to you own but correct your will to that of God.
The will of God is a rule of conduct. By it you have the means of being
converted and of correcting your evil ways." (excerpt from Commentary on
Psalm 93,18)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH
16, JOHN 8:31-42
Lenten Weekday
(Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Psalm: Daniel 3)
Lenten Weekday
(Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Psalm: Daniel 3)
KEY VERSE: "So if the son frees you, then you will truly be free" (v 36).
TO KNOW: Throughout history, Israel had been enslaved by one foreign nation after another. In the time of Jesus they were subject to the Roman Empire. Jesus said that if people really lived by his words, they would be free from oppression. Thinking that Jesus meant political freedom, his enemies boasted that they had never been subjected to anyone. As sons of Abraham, they thought that no liberator was needed. Jesus told them that ancestral heritage did not make one a child of Abraham. True believers were those who followed Abraham's example of faith and trust in God. Unbelievers were those enslaved to sin. Jesus said that if people really knew God as their Father, they would be set free and believe that God had sent him. Since God is the source of all truth, then the closer we listen to God's word, the more we grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God's truth, which liberates us from doubts, illusions, and fears.
TO LOVE: Does slavery to sin hold me in bondage?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, free me from anything that enslaves me.
Wednesday March 16 2016
Wed
16th. Daniel 3:14-20, 24-25, 28. Glory and praise for ever!—Daniel 3:52-56.
John 8:31-42.
The
truth will set you free.
We
are all in some way weighed down by sin. We see it as part of the human
condition. John’s writings use a lot of symbolism to communicate the teachings
of Christ about sin and grace. Today’s reading is one that places value on
truth giving us freedom. For those of us who have trouble with rules and
regulations, we perhaps need to work at accepting truth. Questioning is normal
and healthy. Yet, having some answers however, can be comforting and freeing.
I’ve heard countless stories of those weighed down by little lies, little slips
from the past, and the redemption that comes when they are released and healed
by the truth. Let’s pray today that we can be honest with others, and ourselves,
and be freed by the truth.
MINUTE
MEDITATIONS
|
Embracing Suffering
|
God, open our eyes to the truest meaning of bearing the name
“Christ,” so that we too may strive to love as you love, while embracing the
suffering that such true love entails. We offer our gratitude for the community
formed that day beside the cross: formed out of great love, formed amid great
suffering.
March
16
St. Clement Mary Hofbauer
(1751-1820)
St. Clement Mary Hofbauer
(1751-1820)
Clement
might be called the second founder of the Redemptorists, as it was he who
carried the congregation of St. Alphonsus Liguori to the people north of the
Alps.
John,
the name given him at Baptism, was born in Moravia into a poor family, the
ninth of 12 children. Although he longed to be a priest there was no money for
studies, and he was apprenticed to a baker. But God guided the young man's
fortunes. He found work in the bakery of a monastery where he was allowed to
attend classes in its Latin school. After the abbot there died, John tried the
life of a hermit but when Emperor Joseph II abolished hermitages, John again
returned to Vienna and to baking. One day after serving Mass at the cathedral
of St. Stephen, he called a carriage for two ladies waiting there in the rain.
In their conversation they learned that he could not pursue his priestly
studies because of a lack of funds. They generously offered to support both him
and his friend, Thaddeus, in their seminary studies. The two went to Rome,
where they were drawn to St. Alphonsus' vision of religious life and to the
Redemptorists. The two young men were ordained together in 1785.
Newly
professed at age 34, Clement Mary, as he was now called, and Thaddeus were sent
back to Vienna. But the religious difficulties there caused them to leave and
continue north to Warsaw, Poland. There they encountered numerous
German-speaking Catholics who had been left priestless by the suppression of
the Jesuits. At first they had to live in great poverty and preached outdoor
sermons. They were given the church of St. Benno, and for the next nine years
they preached five sermons a day, two in German and three in Polish, converting
many to the faith. They were active in social work among the poor, founding an
orphanage and then a school for boys.
Drawing
candidates to the congregation, they were able to send missionaries to Poland,
Germany and Switzerland. All of these foundations had eventually to be
abandoned because of the political and religious tensions of the times. After 20
years of difficult work Clement himself was imprisoned and expelled from the
country. Only after another arrest was he able to reach Vienna, where he was to
live and work the final 12 years of his life. He quickly became "the
apostle of Vienna," hearing the confessions of the rich and poor, visiting
the sick, acting as a counselor to the powerful, sharing his holiness with all
in the city. His crowning work was the establishment of a Catholic college in
his beloved city.
Persecution
followed him, and there were those in authority who were able for a while to
stop him from preaching. An attempt was made at the highest levels to have him
banished. But his holiness and fame protected him and the growth of the
Redemptorists. Due to his efforts, the congregation, upon his death in 1820,
was firmly established north of the Alps.
He
was canonized in 1909.
Comment:
Clement saw his life’s work meet with disaster. Religious and political tensions forced him and his brothers to abandon their ministry in Germany, Poland and Switzerland. Clement himself was exiled from Poland and had to start all over again. Someone once pointed out that the followers of the crucified Jesus should see only new possibilities opening up whenever they meet failure. He encourages us to follow his example, trusting in the Lord to guide us.
Clement saw his life’s work meet with disaster. Religious and political tensions forced him and his brothers to abandon their ministry in Germany, Poland and Switzerland. Clement himself was exiled from Poland and had to start all over again. Someone once pointed out that the followers of the crucified Jesus should see only new possibilities opening up whenever they meet failure. He encourages us to follow his example, trusting in the Lord to guide us.
LECTIO DIVINA: JOHN 8,31-42
Lectio Divina:
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Lent Time
1) OPENING PRAYER
Lord our God,
you call us to be free people.
Help us to give you always
a response of freedom.
Set free by Christ’s
liberating word and death,
may we never again
shackle ourselves with self-made chains,
of selfish sin and false attachments.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
you call us to be free people.
Help us to give you always
a response of freedom.
Set free by Christ’s
liberating word and death,
may we never again
shackle ourselves with self-made chains,
of selfish sin and false attachments.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.
2) GOSPEL READING - JOHN 8,31-42
To the Jews who believed in him Jesus
said: If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples; you will
come to know the truth, and the truth will set you free. They answered, 'We are
descended from Abraham and we have never been the slaves of anyone; what do you
mean, "You will be set free?" '
Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave. Now a slave has no permanent standing in
the household, but a son belongs to it for ever. So if the Son sets you free,
you will indeed be free. I know that you are descended from Abraham; but you
want to kill me because my word finds no place in you. What I speak of is what
I have seen at my Father's side, and you too put into action the lessons you
have learnt from your father. They repeated, 'Our father is Abraham.'
Jesus said to them: If you are Abraham's
children, do as Abraham did. As it is, you want to kill me, a man who has told
you the truth as I have learnt it from God; that is not what Abraham did.
You are doing your father's work. They
replied, 'We were not born illegitimate, the only father we have is God.'
Jesus answered: If God were your father,
you would love me, since I have my origin in God and have come from him; I did
not come of my own accord, but he sent me.
3) REFLECTION
• The reflection on chapter 8 of the
Gospel of John continues today. In the form of concentric circles, John deepens
the mystery of God which envelopes the person of Jesus. It seems like a
repetition, because he always goes back to speak of the same point. In reality,
it is the same point, but every time at a more profound level. Today’s Gospel
treats the theme of the relationship of Jesus with Abraham, the Father of the
People of God. John tries to help the communities to understand how Jesus
places himself within the whole history of the People of God. He helps them to
perceive the difference that existed between Jesus and the Jews, and also the
Jews and the others, all of us are sons and daughters of Abraham.
• John 8, 31-32: The liberty which comes
from fidelity to the word of Jesus. Jesus affirms to the Jews: “If you make my
word your home you will indeed be my disciples; 32 you will come to know the
truth and the truth will set you free”. To be a disciple of Jesus is the same
as opening oneself to God. The words of Jesus are in reality words of God. They
communicate the truth, because they make things known as they are in the eyes
of God and not in the eyes of the Pharisees. Later, during the Last Supper,
Jesus will teach the same thing to the disciples.
• John 8, 33.38: What is it to be a son or
a daughter of Abraham? The reaction of the Jews is immediate: “We are descended
from Abraham and we have never been the slaves of anyone: what do you mean: You
will be set free?” Jesus repeats and confirms making a distinction between son
and slave and says: “Everyone who commits sin is a slave. The slave has no
permanent standing in the household, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the
Son sets you free, you will indeed be free”. Jesus is the son and remains in
the house of the Father. The slave does not live in the house of the Father. To
live outside the house, outside of God means to live in sin. If they would
accept the word of Jesus they could become sons and attain liberty. They would
no longer be slaves. And Jesus continues: “I know that you are descended from
Abraham; but you want to kill me, because my word finds no place in you”. The
distinction is immediately very clear: “What I speak of is what I have seen at
my Father’s side, and you too put into action the lessons you have learnt from your
father”. Jesus denies to them the right to say that they are sons of Abraham,
because their works affirm the contrary.
• John 8, 39-41ª: A son of Abraham
fulfils the works of Abraham. They insist in affirming: “Our father is
Abraham!” as if they wanted to present to Jesus a document of their identity.
Jesus repeats: “If you are sons of Abraham do the works of Abraham! 40 Now,
instead you are seeking to kill me, because I have told you the truth heard
from God; Abraham has not done this. 41 You do the works of your father”.
Between the lines, he suggests that their father is Satan (Jn 8, 44). He
suggests that they are sons of prostitution.
• John 8, 41b-42: If God was your
Father, certainly, you would love me, because I have my origin in God and I
come from Him; I did not come of my own accord, but he sent me”. Jesus repeats
the same truth using diverse words: “Whoever comes from God listens to the
words of God”. The origin of this affirmation is from Jeremiah who says:
“Within them I shall plant my Law, writing it on their hearts. Then I shall be
their God and they will be my people. There will be no further need for
everyone to teach neighbour or brother, saying: ‘Learn to know Yahweh!’ No,
they will all know me, from the least to the greatest, Yahweh declares, since I
shall forgive their guilt and never more call their sin to mind” (Jr 31,
33-34). But they will not open themselves to this new experience of God, and
because of this they will not recognize Jesus as the one sent by the Father.
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• Liberty which submits itself totally
to the Father. Does something of this type exist in you? Do you know persons
who are like that?
• Which is the deepest experience in me
which leads me to recognize Jesus as the one sent by God?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
May you be blessed, Lord, God of our
ancestors,
be praised and extolled for ever.
Blessed be your glorious and holy name,
praised and extolled for ever.
Blessed on the throne of your kingdom,
exalted above all, glorified for ever. (Dn 3,52.54)
be praised and extolled for ever.
Blessed be your glorious and holy name,
praised and extolled for ever.
Blessed on the throne of your kingdom,
exalted above all, glorified for ever. (Dn 3,52.54)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét