Dear Brother and Sister in Christ,
Welcome to Catholic Mass Readings in Biblemsg.com. We are on the March 22, 2023 in the 4th Wednesday of Lent. Today’s Mass readings and reflection on ISAIAH 49. 8-15; JOHN 5. 17-30. In our daily reflection today, the Main theme is Never forsaken!
Catholic Mass Readings
Main Theme of the Day: Never forsaken!
Table of Contents
Today’s Readings
| First Reading | ISAIAH 49. 8-15 |
| Gospel Reading | JOHN 5. 17-30 |
Readings are taken from New American Bible
First Reading
ISAIAH 49. 8-15
Thus says the Lord:
8 Thus says the LORD: In a time of favor I answer you, on the day of salvation I help you, To restore the land and allot the desolate heritages,
9 Saying to the prisoners: Come out! To those in darkness: Show yourselves! Along the ways they shall find pasture, on every bare height shall their pastures be.
10 They shall not hunger or thirst, nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them; For he who pities them leads them and guides them beside springs of water.
11 I will cut a road through all my mountains, and make my highways level.
12 See, some shall come from afar, others from the north and the west, and some from the land of Syene.
13 Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, break forth into song, you mountains. For the LORD comforts his people and shows mercy to his afflicted.
14 But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.”
15 Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.
Responsorial Psalm
Response: The Lord is gracious and merciful.
Gospel
JOHN 5. 17-30
Jesus answered the Jews:
17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.”
18 For this reason the Jews tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.
19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, a son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing; for what he does, his son will do also.
20 For the Father loves his Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed.
21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.
22 Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to his Son,
23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.
24 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life.
25 Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to his Son the possession of life in himself.
27 And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
28 Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice
29 and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation.
30 “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.
Catholic Homily for Today
Focus: The first duty of any true love is the recognition of the love of the other. If we really love God, then our first duty is to be deeply aware of His love for us
1. Often we hear so much about love. But at the same time, there is a great lack of love. Love is misunderstood, falsified, and abused. That is why we find so much egoism, animosity and aggression even in the name of love. This only shows that love is not rightly understood and exercised
2. In such a context, today’s word of God gives us the best sample of true love. God’s love is the best and truest love. God Himself is the greatest lover. In Him, we find true love, its features, its functions, and its effects
3. In the first reading from the prophet Isaiah, God compares Himself to a mother and us to His nursing children
4. Just as a mother can never forget her nursing child, God too can never forget us. His love surpasses even this: even if a mother may forget, He will never forget you
5 His love never ceases and so He never ceases to work for us. This is the very mission of God, to constantly manifest His love in manifold ways. He gives His own life to us; liberates us from our imprisonments; brings us to light from our darkness; quenches our hunger and thirst; guides and leads us in the right paths; comforts the afflicted
6. God wants to show and shower this abundant love upon us directly and concretely. For this, He has sent His only Son, Jesus Christ. Thereby, Jesus is the embodiment of the Father’s love and its living vehicle and channel. Through Jesus, God powerfully testifies His caring and guiding love
7.All that Jesus is and does is rooted in His inseparable communion with the Father. And his mission becomes unfailing obedience and loyalty to do the Father’s will. As the Father loves the Son, He empowers the Son with His own life, light, and power to give life, to guide and empower and to judge and reward eternal life. Similarly, as the Son loves the Father, he is united with Him and does ever His will
Direction: True love is passionate, selfless, and committed. It is testified in concrete actions. God shows His love in a ceaseless outpour of His grace and works of benevolence. How do we show our love for God?
Note
Hope you had a good experience reading the catholic reflection for the day. With another inspiring message we shall meet in the next post. Stay Tuned in Biblemsg.com Thank You.
Comments