#march14wed4thweeklent

[anastpaul]

Lenten Reflection – 14 March 2018 – Wednesday of the 4th Week of Lent

Isaiah 49:8-15, Psalms 145:8-9, 13-14, 17-18, John 5:17-30

Isaiah 49:13 – “For the Lord has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.”

John 5:28-29 – “…. for the hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come forth, those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgement.”

As we approach the end of the Lenten journey, the tone becomes darker and we can feel the crises approaching. Today’s first reading is a lovely one, Israel’s God promising that all is going to be well “I shall answer you” and “they shall find food on all the bare places.”   And there is a beautiful image of God as mother, utterly incapable of forgetting Israel.   Notice however, that Israel is feeling forgotten, they are hungry and thirsty and in desolate places and in darkness.

These dark tones return in today’s gospel, which continues from yesterday.   Jesus here lays His cards on the table and states plainly and simply, His intimate relationship with the One whom He calls Father and precisely because of who He is – He incurs now the homicidal wrath of His opponents.

We need to be clear this Lent, NOW and forever, about who we think Jesus is – and KNOW that what we believe, will bring the same response – hostility, ire, persecution even hatred!   For it is literally – it is very important to be aware of this – a matter of life and death!

But, “the one who hears my word and believes the One who sent me, has eternal life”. There is Resurrection here but there is also first death.

We must choose our sides NOW!   Now is the time!…(Fr Nicholas King SJ – Reflections for Lent)

Am I ready? Have I chosen my side? Am I prepared?

“There was once a good Trappist Father, who was trembling all over at perceiving the approach of death.   Someone said to him, “Father, of what then are you afraid?”   “Of the judgement of God,” he said. “Ah! if you dread the judgement–you who have done so much penance, you who love God so much, who have been so long preparing for death–what will become of me?”

See, my children, to die well we must live well;  to live well, we must seriously examine ourselves:  every evening think over what we have done during the day; at the end of each week review what we have done during the week;  at the end of each month review what we have done during the month;  at the end of the year, what we have done during the year.   By this means, my children, we cannot fail to correct ourselves and to become fervent Christians in a short time.   Then, when death comes, we are quite ready; we are happy to go to Heaven.”…St John Vianney (1786-1859)

I have nothing, O my Saviour and my God!

I have nothing, O my Saviour and my God! I have nothing which can be pleasing unto Thee; I can do nothing, I am nothing but I have a heart and this is enough for me. Health, honour and life itself may be taken from me but no man can rob me of my heart. I have a heart and with this heart I can love Thee, O my Saviour Jesus, worthy of all adoration! And with this heart, it is my determination to love You and always I resolve to love Thee, only to love Thee always. Amen

Father John Croiset SJ

(via AnaStpaul – Breathing Catholic)