Reading 1 Jeremiah 20:10-13
I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.” But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart. Let me witness the vengeance You take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, For He has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!
Responsorial Psalm
R.In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
I love you, O LORD, my strength, O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! Praised be the LORD, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
The breakers of death surged round about me, the destroying floods overwhelmed me; The cords of the nether world enmeshed me, the snares of death overtook me.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
In my distress I called upon the LORD and cried out to my God; From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
R. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
Gospel John 10:31-42
The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said,‘You are gods”‘? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” And many there began to believe in him.
Meditation: Is your life consecrated to God?
I can relate to this first reading from Jeremiah and the Gospel of St. John today. People are all too ready to condemn me before they even know me. They believe what they want to. I hear so many rumours and innuendo that originates from people who used to be my friends. Its sad when it happens but that is human nature and these scripture readings are meant to encourage us to stand above the human temptation to retaliate against those who have hurt us.
I spoke to a lady after Mass today who began to attack me over my stance against sexual abuse. She said, “Why don’t you leave it up to God to judge them?”
I said it is my duty to warn people so they don’t end up being a victim themselves.
“But”, she protested, “not all celibate priests are child abusers!”
I agreed, “but some are. And just like not all dogs bite, but some do, I am cautious around those priests I don’t know.,”
The scriptural understanding of consecration is to make holy for God - to be given over as a free-will offering and sacrifice for God. Jesus made Himself a sin-offering
for us, to ransom us from condemnation and slavery to sin. He spoke of his Father consecrating Him for this mission of salvation. Why were the religious leaders so upset with Jesus that they wanted to kill him? They charged Him with blasphemy because he claimed to be the Son of God. Jesus made two claims in his response: He was consecrated by the Father to a special task and he was sent into the world to carry out his Father's mission. Jesus challenged his opponents to accept his works
if they could not accept his words. One can argue with words, but deeds are beyond argument. Jesus is the perfect teacher in that he does not base his claims on what he says but on what he does. The word of God is life and power to those who believe. Jesus shows us the way to walk the path of truth and holiness. And he anoints us with his power to live the gospel with joy and to be his witnesses in the world. Are you a doer of God's word, or a forgetful hearer only?
for us, to ransom us from condemnation and slavery to sin. He spoke of his Father consecrating Him for this mission of salvation. Why were the religious leaders so upset with Jesus that they wanted to kill him? They charged Him with blasphemy because he claimed to be the Son of God. Jesus made two claims in his response: He was consecrated by the Father to a special task and he was sent into the world to carry out his Father's mission. Jesus challenged his opponents to accept his works
if they could not accept his words. One can argue with words, but deeds are beyond argument. Jesus is the perfect teacher in that he does not base his claims on what he says but on what he does. The word of God is life and power to those who believe. Jesus shows us the way to walk the path of truth and holiness. And he anoints us with his power to live the gospel with joy and to be his witnesses in the world. Are you a doer of God's word, or a forgetful hearer only?
"Write upon my heart, O Lord, the lessons of your holy word, and grant that I may be a doer of your word, and not a forgetful hearer only."
The following reflection is courtesy of Presentation Ministries (c) 2013. Their website is located at presentationministries.com
BELIEVING PLACES
"In that place, many came to believe in Him." —John 10:42
It's a glorious sunny day, and I'm inside. I'm sitting in adoration before my Lord Jesus, Who is exposed in Eucharistic splendour. The weather is balmy outside, but inside the atmosphere is heavenly. In this place of intimacy before the real presence of Jesus, many come to believe in Jesus (see John 10:42). In this place, worshipers "realize what it means that the Father is in [Jesus] and [Jesus] in Him" (Jn 10:38). In this place, the climate is perfect for realizing that Jesus is God. In Eucharistic adoration, we are far more blessed than those who actually saw Jesus while He walked the earth (see Mt 13:16). The Jews in today's Gospel saw Jesus personally, and even saw the miracles He performed (Jn 10:38), but all they could see was that, in their eyes, Jesus was "only a man" (Jn 10:33). In two days, we will remember the crowds who saw Jesus enter Jerusalem as King, yet within a week they shouted, "Crucify Him!" (Mt 27:22) Jesus once commented that those who believe in Him without seeing would be blessed (Jn 20:29). Yet in His mercy, He still provides a way for us to gaze upon Him two thousand years after He walked the earth (2 Cor 3:18). Therefore, "fix your eyes on" the eucharistic Jesus (Heb 3:1). Next week, in the holiest week of the Church Year, visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. In this place of believing, let Him fill you with "eucharistic amazement" (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Pope John Paul II, 6).
Prayer: Lord, who would believe what we have seen? (Is 53:1) May Catholics consider Your Eucharistic presence "ordinary" (Heb 10:29). Help us to appreciate how wonderful is Your Presence with us in the Mass and in our Churches. May we make greater effort to ‘visit’ You as You have come to visit us with your grace.
May our love for you be visible in our outreach to others.BELIEVING PLACES
"In that place, many came to believe in Him." —John 10:42
It's a glorious sunny day, and I'm inside. I'm sitting in adoration before my Lord Jesus, Who is exposed in Eucharistic splendour. The weather is balmy outside, but inside the atmosphere is heavenly. In this place of intimacy before the real presence of Jesus, many come to believe in Jesus (see John 10:42). In this place, worshipers "realize what it means that the Father is in [Jesus] and [Jesus] in Him" (Jn 10:38). In this place, the climate is perfect for realizing that Jesus is God. In Eucharistic adoration, we are far more blessed than those who actually saw Jesus while He walked the earth (see Mt 13:16). The Jews in today's Gospel saw Jesus personally, and even saw the miracles He performed (Jn 10:38), but all they could see was that, in their eyes, Jesus was "only a man" (Jn 10:33). In two days, we will remember the crowds who saw Jesus enter Jerusalem as King, yet within a week they shouted, "Crucify Him!" (Mt 27:22) Jesus once commented that those who believe in Him without seeing would be blessed (Jn 20:29). Yet in His mercy, He still provides a way for us to gaze upon Him two thousand years after He walked the earth (2 Cor 3:18). Therefore, "fix your eyes on" the eucharistic Jesus (Heb 3:1). Next week, in the holiest week of the Church Year, visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. In this place of believing, let Him fill you with "eucharistic amazement" (Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Pope John Paul II, 6).
Prayer: Lord, who would believe what we have seen? (Is 53:1) May Catholics consider Your Eucharistic presence "ordinary" (Heb 10:29). Help us to appreciate how wonderful is Your Presence with us in the Mass and in our Churches. May we make greater effort to ‘visit’ You as You have come to visit us with your grace.
Promise: "The Lord is with me, like a mighty Champion." —Jeremiah 20:11
Praise: Josie led four of her co-workers to Jesus this year. How many have you helped to know the possibility of eternal life that friendship with Jesus offers?
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