Fourth Week of Lent
14th March 2024 (Thursday)
Psalter: Week 4
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Exodus 32:7-14
In those days: The Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.” But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it for ever.’” And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
Psalm 106:19-20, 21-22, 23 (R. see 4ab)
R/. O Lord, remember us with the favour you show to your people.
Verse Before The Gospel
V/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ
R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ
V/. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son; that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
R/. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
Gospel : John 5:31-47
At that time: Jesus said to the Jews, “If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Highlight: Stubbornness rejects!
Guidelines: Authenticity comes from reliable evidence and testimony. But even authenticity will be rejected when there is obstinacy and rigidity of the heart
1. The confrontation between Jesus and the Jews continues. The Jews vehemently oppose him, refuse to believe in him, and reject him. Jesus persistently tries to convince them. He draws their attention to various solid witnesses that authenticate him.
2. One is John the Baptist, who was like a burning and shining lamp that bore witness to Jesus, the true light.
3. Another witness is Jesus’ own works which are always altruistic and oriented to the good of others. There is absolutely no trace of evil or harm in his works. They all proceed from the Father and conform to His holy will.
4. The third witness is God the Father Himself. The Father consistently bears witness to His only Son about His total communion and intimacy with the Son; about the Son being sent by Him and doing always His holy will; about empowering His Son to guide and judge; about Himself being so pleased with His Son; about glorifying His Son; and about owning, guarding, guiding and strengthening the disciples as well.
5. The fourth witness is the Scriptures. They contain eternal life and bear witness about Jesus, the Messiah. But despite such valid and authentic witnesses, the Jews do not believe in Jesus and do not accept him.
6. The reasons are given very clearly in both the readings. According to the first reading from Exodus, one main reason for unbelief is the stiff-necked mentality of the people. Because of this adamancy, they corrupt themselves; turn aside quickly out of the Lord’s way; and desecrate themselves by worshipping a golden calf.
7. In the light of the gospel, one reason for failing in a faith response is the lack of love of God within them; another reason is seeking their own human glory from the humans and not seeking the glory of God.
Practice: Failing in our faith in God is self-responsibility and so it will bring also self-judgment and condemnation. We need not blame God for punishing us; it is we ourselves who do the auto-condemnation
