THURSDAY, FOURTH WEEK OF LENT
Ex 32: 7-14; Ps 106: 19-23; Jn 5: 31-47
TRUE LOVE IS NEVER SELFISH
Love of God & love of neighbour goes hand in hand. “True perfection consists in love of God & love of neighbour” (Interior Castle. 1: 2-17). In the First Reading, Moses’s sanctity is proved by this. The Israelites made a golden calf and worshipped it and sinned. Then God’s wrath blazed and He said to Moses that He was going to destroy these people but of Moses, He would make a great nation. But Moses did not bother about himself and he pleaded with God with strong words to forgive them and have mercy on them. So, God relented and did not destroy them. God gives, gives and forgives; man receives, receives and forgets. Moses appears as a great intercessor as he defends his people. Though it appears as if Moses is commanding God, in reality, we see how the prayer had changed the mentality of Moses himself as he realizes his responsibility towards God’s chosen people.
In the gospel Jesus says; if I bear witness alone about myself my testimony is not true. But when another bears witness it is true. So there are witnesses, four testimonies: The Father – who declared him as his son; John the Baptist – who came just to prepare His way; Jesus’ good works – the miracles, teachings; and the Scriptures – the old testament which finds its completion in the person of Jesus.
But the elders of Israel were not able to recognize him. They knew the scriptures but not their depth. Today we are reminded that, it is not enough to know by heart the written WORD, we need to come in contact with the Living WORD, Jesus himself. Israel had received a lot of blessings from God, as the people of Jesus’ time. But they never came close to the source (God). And what about us? St. John of the cross says, “In the evening of life you will be judged by love.” Have I the zeal to do something good for my neighbour?
Response: O Lord, remember us with the favour you show to your people.
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