THURSDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF LENT - GOSPEL (John 5:31-47) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?” (Jn 5:44)

FIRST READING - Ex 32:7-14

A reading from the Book of Exodus

The LORD said to Moses,

"Go down at once to your people

whom you brought out of the land of Egypt,

for they have become depraved.

They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them,

making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it,

sacrificing to it and crying out,

'This is your God, O Israel,

who brought you out of the land of Egypt!'

The LORD said to Moses,

"I see how stiff-necked this people is.

Let me alone, then,

that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them.

Then I will make of you a great nation."

But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying,

"Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people,

whom you brought out of the land of Egypt

with such great power and with so strong a hand?

Why should the Egyptians say,

'With evil intent he brought them out,

that he might kill them in the mountains

and exterminate them from the face of the earth'?

Let your blazing wrath die down;

relent in punishing your people.

Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel,

and how you swore to them by your own self, saying,

'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky;

and all this land that I promised,

I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.'"

So the LORD relented in the punishment

he had threatened to inflict on his people.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - John 5:31-47

From the Gospel according to John

Jesus said to the Jews:

"If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.

But there is another who testifies on my behalf,

and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.

You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.

I do not accept human testimony,

but I say this so that you may be saved.

He was a burning and shining lamp,

and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.

But I have testimony greater than John's.

The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,

these works that I perform testify on my behalf

that the Father has sent me.

Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf.

But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,

and you do not have his word remaining in you,

because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent.

You search the Scriptures,

because you think you have eternal life through them;

even they testify on my behalf.

But you do not want to come to me to have life.

"I do not accept human praise;

moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.

I came in the name of my Father,

but you do not accept me;

yet if another comes in his own name,

you will accept him.

How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another

and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?

Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father:

the one who will accuse you is Moses,

in whom you have placed your hope.

For if you had believed Moses,

you would have believed me,

because he wrote about me.

But if you do not believe his writings,

how will you believe my words?"

THURSDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF LENT - GOSPEL (John 5:31-47)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God for today talks about Jesus introducing Himself to the Jews: He is the Son of God who came to earth and became a human. He and God the Father are one. However, the Jews did not believe Jesus' introduction. They thought Jesus was just an ordinary person like everyone else, but dared to blaspheme, claiming that He was the Son of God who came to earth and became a human and was equal to God the Father. They accused and condemned Jesus of blaspheming God. But Jesus told them that to confirm that what He said was true, He did not need the testimony of people, because God the Father, who sent Him to earth, would testify that His words were true.

He also has a greater testimony: the works that God the Father gave Him to complete, the very works He did, testify that God the Father sent Him. Jesus obeyed God the Father and came to earth and became a human to save humanity, which was shown through His loving and charitable works. He did not seek glory for Himself in this earthly life, but all the works He did were to glorify God the Father and save souls. These works themselves testify to the world that He is the Second Person of God who came to earth and became a human, died to atone for the sins of humanity and saved souls. To testify about Jesus, only the testimony of God the Father is authentic and true, so Jesus only needed God the Father to testify about Him. God the Father testified that Jesus' works on earth came from God, and Jesus did not defend Himself, nor testify about Himself, because He did not do anything on His own. He was completely obedient to God the Father in all things.

Today, God also teaches all those chosen by Him and given grace by Him to work in His plan, with the same purpose: to glorify God and save souls. He invites those He has chosen to follow the example of Jesus: they do not need people to honor them, they do not need people to testify for them, and they do not need people to understand and accept them; they only need God the Father to testify that their actions come from God. They only need God the Father's testimony and protection to confirm that their actions are on the right path of God the Father, walking in the light, truth, and reality that come from God.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

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