Daily Readings
 

Reading I:  Gn 17:3-9

When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:
“My covenant with you is this:
you are to become the father of a host of nations.
No longer shall you be called Abram;
your name shall be Abraham,
for I am making you the father of a host of nations.
I will render you exceedingly fertile;
I will make nations of you;
kings shall stem from you.
I will maintain my covenant with you
and your descendants after you
throughout the ages as an everlasting pact,
to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
I will give to you
and to your descendants after you
the land in which you are now staying,
the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession;
and I will be their God.”

God also said to Abraham:
“On your part, you and your descendants after you
must keep my covenant throughout the ages.”
 

Responsorial Psalm:  105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R.        (8a)  The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
            seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
            his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R.        The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
            sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
            throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R.        The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
            which he made binding for a thousand generations –
Which he entered into with Abraham
            and by his oath to Isaac.
R.        The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
 

Verse Before the Gospel:  Ps 95:8

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
 

Gospel:  Jn 8:51-59

Jesus said to the Jews:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever keeps my word will never see death.”
So the Jews said to him,
“Now we are sure that you are possessed.
Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say,
‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?
Or the prophets, who died?
Who do you make yourself out to be?”
Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing;
but it is my Father who glorifies me,
of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’
You do not know him, but I know him.
And if I should say that I do not know him,
I would be like you a liar.
But I do know him and I keep his word.
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day;
he saw it and was glad.”
So the Jews said to him,
“You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
before Abraham came to be, I AM.”
So they picked up stones to throw at him;
but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

 

Father Kirk's Daily Lenten Reflection
Thursday of the 5th Week of Lent: March 30, 2023

As is evidenced in today’s gospel, Jesus continued to push the envelope with the Jewish religious leader.  He insisted (correctly of course) that He was the Son of God.  His grievous “sin” was that He once again equated himself with God and further claimed to have seen Abraham which of course was humanly impossible as His opponents were quick to point out.

These encounters only further heightened the anger of the scribes and pharisees who were increasingly more willing and ready to kill Him.  His days were numbered but once again He was able to slip away from them.

We need to be very careful in our lives that we keep our faith firm and that we follow Christ faithfully.  Lest He slip away from us …
God’s will and say “yes.”  Let us pray in the words of the psalmist: “Here I am Lord I have come to do your will."