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.”
“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.
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.”
“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
PsalmDANIEL 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 GospelLK 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.”
“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.”
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 for obedience 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, APRIL 1, 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 subjugated by the Roman Empire. Jesus said that if people really lived by his words, they would be free from the oppression of sin. 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. God is the source of all truth, and the closer we listen to God's word, the more we grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God's truth, which frees us from ignorance and fear.
TO LOVE: Is there a sin that holds me in bondage?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, free me from anything that enslaves me.
Ancient cultures, including the Romans, celebrated New Year's
Day on April 1, which closely follows the vernal equinox (March 20th or March
21st.). In medieval times, much of Europe celebrated March 25, the Feast of
Annunciation, as the beginning of the New Year. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII
ordered a new calendar (the Gregorian calendar) to replace the old Julian
calendar. The new calendar called for New Year's Day to be celebrated January
1. Communication being what it was in those days, many people did not receive
the news for several years. Others refused to accept the new calendar and
continued to celebrate New Year’s Day on April 1. These backward folk, labeled
as "fools," were subject to ridicule and made the butt of practical
jokes.
The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year. - Mark Twain
The first of April is the day we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year. - Mark Twain
Wednesday 1 April 2020
Daniel 3:14-20, 24-25, 28. Glory and praise to you for
ever! – Daniel 3:52-56. John 8: 31-42.
‘You will come to know the truth and the truth will set you
free.’
When governments are secretive, corruption occurs in high
places, the vulnerable are abused and people are poor, homeless and hungry,
someone needs to tell us. That is where whistleblowers, journalists and a free
press come in. In June 2019, The New York Times commented that
Australia is the world’s most secretive democracy. Australian Federal Police
raided the ABC and a journalist’s home. Witness K and Bernard Collaery are
prosecuted for revealing Australia spied on East Timor.
Australia lacks a Bill of Rights, an explicit constitutional
right to free speech and legal protection for whistleblowers. Journalists
struggle to protect sources. New laws erode basic human rights.
Jesus, you spoke out against laws that burdened and oppressed.
Help us challenge unjust laws. Help us fight for organisations that reveal
uncomfortable truths, for journalists and their sources and whistleblowers.
Saint Hugh of Grenoble
Saint of the Day for April 1
(1053 – April 1, 1132)
 |
| Saint Hugh of Grenoble in the Carthusian Refectory | Francisco de Zurbarán |
Saint Hugh of Grenoble’s Story
Today’s saint could be a patron for those of us who feel so
overwhelmed by all the problems in the world that we don’t know where to begin.
Hugh, who served as a bishop in France for 52 years, had his
work cut out for him from the start. Corruption seemed to loom in every
direction: the buying and selling of Church offices, violations of clerical
celibacy, lay control of Church property, religious indifference and/or
ignorance. After serving as bishop for two years, he’d had his fill. He tried
disappearing to a monastery, but the pope called him back to continue the work
of reform.
Ironically, Hugh was reasonably effective in the role of
reformer—surely because of his devotion to the Church but also because of his
strong character. In conflicts between Church and state he was an unflinching
defender of the Church. He fearlessly supported the papacy. He was eloquent as
a preacher. He restored his own cathedral, made civic improvements in the town,
and weathered a brief exile.
Hugh may be best known as patron and benefactor of Saint Bruno,
founder of the Carthusian Order. He died in 1132. He was canonized only
two years later.
Reflection
In the midst of our confusing life these days, let us pray for
the ability to rise above the fray and to see things in the light of faith as
did Saint Hugh.
Lectio Divina: John 8:31-42
Lectio Divina
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Season of Lent
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
You call us to be free people.
Help us to give You always
a response of freedom.
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.
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
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."
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 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, as 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 fulfills 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 neighbor 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
• This passage talks about slavery in a new way to the Jews.
Even today, we often think of slavery in a narrow way and not as Jesus is
talking about here. In what ways are we slaves to things of the world which the
Father has no need of?
• Which is my deepest experience which leads me to recognize Jesus as the one sent by God?
• There is a strong statement for us to be put together from this passage. "If God were your Father, you would love Me” and "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works of Abraham.” It can then be said: “ If God were your Father, you would be doing the works of God”. Do we actively do the work of God every day as his children, or just when we have time or when it is convenient?
• Which is my deepest experience which leads me to recognize Jesus as the one sent by God?
• There is a strong statement for us to be put together from this passage. "If God were your Father, you would love Me” and "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works of Abraham.” It can then be said: “ If God were your Father, you would be doing the works of God”. Do we actively do the work of God every day as his children, or just when we have time or when it is convenient?
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)
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