Choose God’s Saving, Rescuing Power By Beth DeCristofaro

Choose God’s Saving, Rescuing Power By Beth DeCristofaro

Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

 

Sing to the LORD,
    praise the LORD,
For he has rescued the life of the poor
    from the power of the wicked! (Jeremiah 20:13)

 

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. (John 10:37-39)

 

Piety

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life. May I attend to your words within my being, O Brother Jesus, and bring them into the world through my activities. 

(based on the Gospel Acclimation from the Mass of the Day)

 

Study

In John’s Gospel, chapter 20, we are told of “Doubting Thomas” who must see the wounds from Jesus’ crucifixion to believe.  Jesus shows Thomas the proof of his death and proclaims, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” (John 20:29)  Often heard as a rebuke, Jesus’ words refer to generations to come who will not have the same opportunity to see him in person as did Thomas and the disciples.  Thomas’ heart was opened, and he acknowledged a new relationship with Jesus: Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”  (John 20:28)

 

In this Gospel, Jesus offers proof in a different way to people who were understandably upset at what sounded like blasphemy. It feels almost like grammar school when Jesus shows the might of God by healing the sick, feeding the crowds, driving out demons.  Can it be more explicit?  He speaks of the signs (miracles) which he ascribes entirely to God in origin.  They are assigned to him only as he acted on behalf of God.  Human skepticism can be a vehicle for critical assessment.  However, motivation fueled by a desire for wealth, power and status impedes conversion.  We can too easily be derailed, not open to the deepest, divine-given desire to be in communion with God.  These leaders were exercising their authority in the Chosen People but not choosing to be genuine persons of God.  They refused to “see” the miracles as anything but magic. What do we “see” and “hear” rather than the works of God?

 

Action

Our journey with Jesus deepens, widens and is fruitful only when we dispense with fear of losing something or getting ahead. Jesus asks that we choose only God, the saving, rescuing, merciful source of life which remains largely incomprehensible. Leaving behind that which we surely “know” in order to believe leads to a place of equilibrium despite tragedies, harassment and confusion caused by a culture that entices with conflicting desires.  Even harder, Jesus asks us to respond with active love to the suffering of neighbors.

Is there something that is distracting me on my Lenten journey, or is something holding onto me that I need to release?  Can I believe in his work within me?  Sing praise to the rescuing power of God.