Scripture readings for this reflection can be found at Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent | USCCB
In our
gospel today from St. John we continue to hear the friction between Jesus and
the Jews. The Jews believed that Jesus was nothing more than a man and thought
he was blaspheming when he attempted to teach that he was indeed God.
In our
gospel from yesterday, we hear Jesus tell the Jews, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” (John 8:58) The Jews, who knew scripture well, recalled
from Exodus, chapter 3:14, when God revealed himself to Moses and said, “I AM WHO AM.” The Jews questioning Jesus knew the context of the phrase “I AM” and
immediately thought Jesus was committing blasphemy.
Even with
all the miracles that Jesus performed, between feeding a multitude of people to
healing the sick, they were unable to see beyond his physical appearance to
have faith that he was indeed the Messiah.
All this was
meant to happen so that Jesus would be turned over to the authorities and to be
crucified on Good Friday and rise on Easter Sunday for the forgiveness of our
sins.
In our own
time, we have people who find it hard to believe that Jesus is indeed the
Messiah. They have trouble believing that he rose on Easter Sunday. Many today
feel he was only a prophet or just a holy man that upset those in authority and
died as a result. They fail to know and to believe in his resurrection.
We are
called to pray for those in our lives who may lack the faith in Jesus Christ as
Lord and Savior. By our constant prayer for those we love who lack faith in
Jesus, the Lord can work in their hearts to perform that miracle of faith that
they need to have in order to believe that Jesus is the Messiah.
During this
Holy week, from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday, pray for your loved ones for
their conversion and for their intentions. Then when the time is right, God
will answer your prayers on their behalf to bring them to faith in the Lord
Jesus.
From Arlene B. Muller
ReplyDeleteLORD, help us who believe that You are true GOD & true man, that You are the Incarnate Son of GOD Who took on our humanity to save us, that You died on the Cross & rose from the dead, & that You are the Messiah, our Savior & LORD, do what is ours to do to help others to come to believe in You by the witness of the example of our lives, by sharing our faith in You in our words, & by our prayers.
There is only so much we can do, & the rest is between You & each person individually. Please give the people in our lives, & especially the Jewish people, the gift of faith to acknowledge that You indeed are LORD and Savior & that You rose from the dead & to put their trust in You. AMEN