​We are still in the Octave of Easter. The first objective of this guidelines sheet is to pray on the Gospel and the reflection done by Pope Francis for the Divine Mercy Sunday which will take place on April 27. The second objective is to pray also on the Gospel and the reflection done by Pope Francis for the 3rd Sunday of Easter (May 4). There are some passages in between the two Sundays to pray during the week.

John 20:19-31
​
   On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
   Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
   Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
   Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.

​    Today, the last day of the Octave of Easter, the Gospel recounts the first and second apparitions of the Risen One to the disciples. Jesus comes at Passover, while the Apostles are shut in the Upper Room, out of fear, but since Thomas, one of the Twelve, is not present, Jesus returns eight days later (cf. Jn 20:19-29). Let’s focus on the two main characters, Thomas and Jesus, looking first at the disciple, and then at the Master. There is a good dialogue between these two.
   The Apostle Thomas, first of all. He represents all of us, who were not present in the Upper Room when the Lord appeared, and did not have other physical signs or apparitions from him. We too struggle at times like that disciple: how can we believe that Jesus is risen, that he accompanies us and is the Lord of our life without having seen him, without having touched him? How can one believe in this? Why does the Lord not give us some clearer sign of his presence and love? Some sign that I can see better… Here, we too are like Thomas, with the same doubts, the same reasoning.
 
   But we do not need to be ashamed of this. By telling us the story of Thomas, in fact, the Gospel tells us that the Lord is not looking for perfect Christians. The Lord is not looking for perfect Christians. I tell you: I am afraid when I see a Christian, some associations of Christians who believe themselves to be perfect. The Lord is not looking for perfect Christians; the Lord is not looking for Christians who never doubt and always flaunt a steadfast faith. When a Christian is like that, something isn’t right. No, the adventure of faith, as for Thomas, consists of lights and shadows. Otherwise, what kind of faith would that be? It knows times of comfort, zeal, and enthusiasm, but also of weariness, confusion, doubt, and darkness. The Gospel shows us Thomas’ “crisis” to tell us that we should not fear the crises of life and faith. Crises are not sins, they are part of the journey; we should not fear them. Many times, they make us humble because they strip us of the idea that we are fine, that we are better than others. Crises help us to recognize that we are needy: they rekindle the need for God and thus enable us to return to the Lord, to touch his wounds, to experience his love anew as if it were the first time. Dear brothers and sisters, is better to have an imperfect but humble faith that always returns to Jesus, than a strong but presumptuous faith that makes us proud and arrogant. Woe to those, woe to them!
 
   And, faced with Thomas’ absence and his journey, which is often also our own, what does Jesus do? The Gospel says twice that he “came” (vv. 19, 26). First once, then a second time, eight days later. Jesus does not give up, he does not get tired of us, he is not afraid of our crises, our weaknesses. He always comes back: when the doors are closed, he comes back; when we are in doubt, he comes back; when, like Thomas, we need to encounter him and to touch him up close, he comes back. Jesus always comes back, he always knocks on the door, and he does not come back with powerful signs that would make us feel small and inadequate, even ashamed, but with his wounds; he comes back showing us his wounds, signs of his love that has espoused our frailties.
 
   Brothers and sisters, especially when we experience moments of weariness and crisis, the Risen Jesus wishes to return to stay with us. He only waits for us to seek him, to call on him, or even, like Thomas, to protest, bringing him our needs and our unbelief. He always comes back. Why? Because he is patient and merciful. He comes to open the upper rooms of our fears and unbelief because he always wants to give us another chance. Jesus is the Lord of “other chances”: he always gives us another one, always. So let us think about the last time – let’s try to remember a little – that, during a difficult moment or a period of crisis, we closed in on ourselves, barricading ourselves in our problems and shutting Jesus out of the house. And let us promise ourselves, the next time, in our fatigue, to seek Jesus, to return to him, to his forgiveness – he always forgives, always! – to return to those wounds that have healed us. In this way, we will also become capable of compassion, of approaching the wounds of others without inflexibility and without prejudice.
 
   May Our Lady, Mother of Mercy – I like to think of her as the Mother of Mercy on the Monday after Mercy Sunday – accompany us on the journey of faith and love.

John 11:7.11-15.17-27

Jesus said to the disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."
Then he added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I will go and wake him up."
The disciples answered, "If he is asleep, Lord, he will get well."
Jesus meant that Lazarus had died, but they thought he meant natural sleep.
So Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, but for your sake I am glad that I was not with him, so that you will believe. Let us go to him."
When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been buried four days before. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Judeans had come to see Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother's death.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house.
Martha said to Jesus, "If you had been here, Lord, my brother would not have died!
But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask him for."
"Your brother will rise to life," Jesus told her.
"I know," she replied, "that he will rise to life on the last day."
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
"Yes, Lord!" she answered. "I do believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
 
1 Corinthians 15: 1-20

And now I want to remind you, my friends, of the Good News which I preached to you, which you received, and on which your faith stands firm.
That is the gospel, the message that I preached to you. You are saved by the gospel if you hold firmly to it - unless it was for nothing that you believed.
I passed on to you what I received, which is of the greatest importance: that Christ died for our sins, as written in the Scriptures; that he was buried and that he was raised to life three days later, as written in the Scriptures; that he appeared to Peter and then to all twelve apostles.
Then he appeared to more than five hundred of his followers at once, most of whom are still alive, although some have died.
Then he appeared to James, and afterward to all the apostles.
Last of all he appeared also to me - even though I am like someone whose birth was abnormal. For I am the least of all the apostles - I do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted God's church. But by God's grace I am what I am, and the grace that he gave me was not without effect. On the contrary, I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing, but God's grace working with me.
So then, whether it came from me or from them, this is what we all preach, and this is what you believe.
 Now, since our message is that Christ has been raised from death, how can some of you say that the dead will not be raised to life? If that is true, it means that Christ was not raised; and if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe.
More than that, we are shown to be lying about God, because we said that he raised Christ from death - but if it is true that the dead are not raised to life, then he did not raise Christ.
For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins. It would also mean that the believers in Christ who have died are lost.
If our hope in Christ is good for this life only and no more, then we deserve more pity than anyone else in all the world. But the truth is that Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised.
 

• How do I experience the power of the Risen Lord in me and in others?
  
• In my intimate relationship with him, do I allow him to give me new life and lead me to a new step in my following?

John 8:12

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees again. "I am the light of the world," he said. "Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness."
 
John 1:4-5 

The Word was the source of life, and this life brought light to people.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never put it out.
 
1 John 1:5-7

Now the message that we have heard from his Son and announce is this: God is light, and there is no darkness at all in him.
If, then, we say that we have fellowship with him, yet at the same time live in the darkness, we are lying both in our words and in our actions.
But if we live in the light - just as he is in the light - then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin.
 
Ephesians 5:8-14

You yourselves used to be in the darkness, but since you have become the Lord's people, you are in the light. So you must live like people who belong to the light, for it is the light that brings a rich harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth.
Try to learn what pleases the Lord.
Have nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, things that belong to the darkness. Instead, bring them out to the light (It is really too shameful even to talk about the things they do in secret.)
And when all things are brought out to the light, then their true nature is clearly revealed; for anything that is clearly revealed becomes light. That is why it is said, "Wake up, sleeper, and rise from death, and Christ will shine on you."
 
   "Sons of the light" in a Christian context, refers to those enlightened by faith. This term describes disciples of Jesus, indicating a spiritual state of being enlightened through faith. These individuals are called to embody Christian virtues, reflecting Christ's teachings. They walk in the light, reflecting His goodness and truth, distinct from darkness.
 

• What does it mean that Jesus is the light of the world?

• Am I motivated to be enlightened by him and to reflect his life and truth in this world?

John 21:1-19
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    At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing. “They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
   So, they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So, they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.
   So, the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
   Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So, Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
  And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.
   When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.” 

​The Gospel of today’s Liturgy (Jn 21:1-19) recounts the third time the Risen Jesus appears to the Apostles. It is a meeting that takes place by the Lake of Galilee, and above all involves Simon Peter. It all begins with him saying to the other disciples: “I am going fishing” (v. 3). There was nothing strange about this since he was a fisherman, but he had abandoned this work from the time he had left his nets on the shore of that very lake, in order to follow Jesus. And now, while the Risen One keeps them waiting, Peter, perhaps a little disheartened, proposes to the others that he return to his former life. And the others accept: “We will go with you.” But “that night they caught nothing” (v. 3).
 
   It can happen to us too that, out of tiredness, disappointment, perhaps out of laziness, we forget the Lord and neglect the great choices we have made, to settle for something else. For example, not dedicating time to talking together in the family, preferring personal pastimes; we forget prayer, letting ourselves be wrapped up in our own needs; we neglect charity, with the excuse of daily urgencies. But, in doing so, we find ourselves disappointed: it is that very disappointment that Peter felt, with the nets empty, like him. It is a road that takes you backwards, and does not satisfy you.
 
   And what does Jesus do with Peter? He returns again to the shore of the lake where he had chosen him, Andrew, James and John. He had chosen all four of them there. He does not reproach them — Jesus does not reproach, he touches the heart, always — but calls the disciples tenderly: “Children” (v. 5). Then he invites them, as before, to cast their nets again courageously. And once again, the nets are filled to overflowing. Brothers and sisters, when our nets are empty in life, it is not the time to feel sorry for ourselves, to take our minds off things, to return to old pastimes. It is time to begin again with Jesus; it is time to find the courage to begin again; it is time to put out to sea again with Jesus. Three verbs: to set out again, to begin again, to put out into the deep. Faced with a disappointment, or a life that has somewhat lost its meaning — “today I feel as if I have gone backwards” — always set out again with Jesus, start again, put out into the deep! He is waiting for you. And he is thinking only of you, me, each one of us. 
 
     Peter needed that “jolt.” When he hears John cry: “It is the Lord!” (v. 7), he immediately dives into the water and swims towards Jesus. It is a gesture of love, because love goes beyond usefulness, convenience, or duty; love generates wonder, it inspires creative, freely-given zeal. In this way, while John, the youngest, recognizes the Lord, it is Peter, who is older, who dives towards him. In that dive is all the new-found enthusiasm of Simon Peter.
 
   Dear brothers and sisters, today the Risen Christ invites us to a new impetus — everyone, each one of us — he invites us to dive into the good without fear of losing something, without calculating too much, without waiting for others to begin. Why? Do not wait for others, because in order to go towards Jesus, we need to go out on a limb. We need to go out on a limb with courage – to resume, but to resume by going out on a limb, taking risks. Let us ask ourselves: am I capable of an outburst of generosity, or do I restrain the impulses of my heart and close myself off in routine, or in fear? Jump in, dive in. This is today’s word from Jesus.
 
   Then, at the end of this episode, Jesus asks Peter, three times, the question: “Do you love me?” (vv. 15-16). The Risen Lord asks us too today: Do you love me? Because at Easter, Jesus wants our hearts to rise too; because faith is not a question of knowledge, but of love. Do you love me? Jesus asks you, me, us, who have empty nets and are often afraid to start again; to you, me and all of us who do not have the courage to dive in and have perhaps lost our momentum. Do you love me? Jesus asks. From then on, Peter stopped fishing forever and dedicated himself to the service of God and to his brothers and sisters, to the point of giving his life here, where we are now. And what about us, do we want to love Jesus?
 
   May Our Lady, who readily said “yes” to the Lord, help us to rediscover the impulse to do good. 

General Theme:
Pilgrims of Hope
 
General Objective:
To live with faith and hope this Jubilee Year
 
Objective of the week:
That we may grow in faith, love and hope during this fifth week of Lent.

​We are in the fifth week of Lent. We have been faithful to pray to prepare ourselves for the extraordinary encounter with our Lord and Savior during Holy Week.
 
   Let us be ready to celebrate Holy Week with gratitude for God's love for us and with the decision to follow Him in our own personal, familiar, professional situations. Let us pray also for our Verbum Dei Missionary Family for us to be more committed to follow God's will wherever we are.

Daniel 13: 41-62
but she refused to tell us. We testify to this.” The assembly believed them, since they were elders and judges of the people, and they condemned her to death.
 
But Susanna cried aloud: “Eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be: you know that they have testified falsely against me. Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things for which these men have condemned me.” The Lord heard her prayer. As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel, and he cried aloud: “I am innocent of this woman’s blood.” All the people turned and asked him, “What are you saying?” He stood in their midst and said, “Are you such fools, you Israelites, to condemn a daughter of Israel without investigation and without clear evidence? Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her.” Then all the people returned in haste. To Daniel the elders said, “Come, sit with us and inform us, since God has given you the prestige of old age.” But he replied, “Separate these two far from one another, and I will examine them.”
 
 After they were separated from each other, he called one of them and said: “How you have grown evil with age! Now have your past sins come to term: passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent, and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says, ‘The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.’  Now, then, if you were a witness, tell me under what tree you saw them together.”  “Under a mastic tree,”[a] he answered. “Your fine lie has cost you your head,” said Daniel; “for the angel of God has already received the sentence from God and shall split you in two.” Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought. “Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah,” Daniel said to him, “beauty has seduced you, lust has perverted your heart. This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel, and in their fear they yielded to you; but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your lawlessness. Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together.” “Under an oak,” he said. “Your fine lie has cost you also your head,” said Daniel; “for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two so as to destroy you both.”The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those who hope in him.  They rose up against the two old men, for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of bearing false witness. They condemned them to the fate they had planned for their neighbor:  in accordance with the law of Moses they put them to death. Thus was innocent blood spared that day.
 
Psalm 23
“Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.”
 
John 8:12-20
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
 
The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”
 
Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.  In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”
 
Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”
 
“You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.
 
Blessed are we who recognized the Lord. It is the greatest gift that we have received to gain salvation. It lights our path as we live in this "dark valley" where we are surrounded by temptations and sins. To recognize Jesus means to follow his ways because He is our hope from all our struggles; a hope that conquers human weaknesses and be able to embrace the challenges with gentleness as Jesus does to His opponents. He is challenged to grow in rage by asking or provoking questions, yet, He does remain peaceful and calm. In this manner, He wants to show to them and to us that God is love, who neither judges nor condemns a sinner as it is stated in Ezekiel 33:11 "The Lord takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked man but rather his concern, that he may live."
 
In this fifth week of Lent, let us examine closely our following with Christ, who is obedient to the Father's will. He reminds us that true discipleship entails commitment, patience, and sacrifice to exalt God in one's life and not for selfish interest and honor; to focus not on the negative vibes, but learn to listen to the Holy Spirit deep within. Let us ask Mother Mary to help us persevere in faith in this "dark valley" of life so that we can profess our faith, "Even though I walk in the dark valley, I fear no evil for you are at my side. Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for years to come."(Ps. 23:4, 6)
 

• How is my following? Am I collaborating with Jesus' mission of salvation?
• Do I allow others to recognize Jesus in me?

Numbers 21: 4-9
They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,[a] to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way;  they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
 
Psalm 102
“O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you”
 
John 8:21-30
Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”  “Who are you?” they asked.
 
“Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up[a] the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
 
When faced with struggles, don’t let frustration turn into doubt. Instead of complaining, turn to God and trust that He provides a way forward. When you feel burdened, lift your heart to Him. Like the Israelites looking up to the bronze serpent for healing, fix your eyes on God’s grace rather than the weight of your troubles. Make prayer a daily habit, especially in difficult times. Speak honestly with God, bringing your joys, struggles, and fears to Him. Whenever life feels overwhelming, pause and remind yourself: God listens. Even if you don’t see an immediate answer, trust that He hears your cry and is working in your life. Keep your faith in Jesus strong by spending time in Scripture, prayer, and reflection. Believe in Him as your guide through life’s uncertainties. Share Christ’s love with others through kindness, patience, and encouragement—living as a light to those around you. When a challenge arises—whether it’s stress at work, conflict in relationships, or personal struggles—pause, pray, and remind yourself: God sees me. He hears me. He leads me.
 

• Where in my life do I struggle with trust in God, and how can I shift my focus from complaining to seeking His healing and guidance?

• How can I deepen my prayer life and recognize God’s presence even when I feel unheard or alone?

Daniel 3:14-20.91-93
and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”
 
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[a] from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”
 
Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" "Assuredly, O king," they answered. "But," he replied, "I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God." Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God."
 
Daniel 3
“Glory and praise for ever!”
 
John 8:31-42
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
 
They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word.I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.[a]” “Abraham is our father,” they answered.
 
“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would[b] do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me.
 
When we journey in faith, we journey not only physically but also inwards in a spiritual way, knowing ourselves, seeking meaning, knowing God, understanding His Word. But it has not been an easy journey to follow Jesus, there are so many things we need to Let Go to be able to Let God. And oftentimes our enemy is not just the devil but the image that we want to make for ourselves. We are worthy if we become this, if we have this or if we achieve that. We only need to look and discover that in the eyes of God, we are all the same chosen, loved, forgiven.
 

• When our faith is challenged by situations or by those who have worldly power, how do we respond? Do I seek to deepen and strengthen my faith and relationship with God?

• What truths have I understood from the Word of God? In what way does it deepen my understanding of faith in God?

Genesis 17:3-9
Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram[a]; your name will be Abraham,[b] for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.
 
Psalm 105
“The Lord remembers his covenant forever”
 
John 8:51-59
Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.” At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?”
 
Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
 
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
 
God remembers His covenant forever. He is faithful until the end. God invites us to do the same. To be faithful to His commandments will make us fruitful just like what He did to Abraham: giving him generations of descendants. As Verbum Dei Missionary disciples, we are reminded of our faithfulness to our prayer with the Word of God. To listen to His words attentively, constantly and to put it into practice, make us credible witnesses to the Gospel.  This season of Lent, let us intensify our prayer and bring others to do the same. Many people are losing hope because of the hard realities in life. We are invited that through our faithfulness, we can bring to them the Good News that will renew their faith and hope. This is our true fruitfulness, when we can bring others to God.

• How is your dialogue with God?
• As VDMD, how can you be more fruitful?

Jeremiah 20:10-13
I hear many whispering,
    “Terror on every side!
    Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!”
All my friends
    are waiting for me to slip, saying,
“Perhaps he will be deceived;
    then we will prevail over him
    and take our revenge on him.”
But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior;
    so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail.
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;
 their dishonor will never be forgotten.
 
Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
    and probe the heart and mind,
let me see your vengeance on them,
    for to you I have committed my cause.
Sing to the Lord!
    Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues the life of the needy
    from the hands of the wicked.
 
Psalm 18
“In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.”
 
John 10:31-42
Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
 
Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’[a]? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am the Father.” Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.
 
Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” And in that place many believed in Jesus.
 
This 5th week of Lent is our last running lap in observing Lent. Our last week of preparation for the main event of our salvation. The Lord's voice is so clear in reminding us " not to harden our hearts". His mercy and love is so great for it entails his passion and death on the Cross. Today Jesus proclaims the kingdom of God in our midst. Inviting all of us to repent heartily from our sins. He emphasizes that the only path to the kingdom of God is his mercy and love. The very secret for the conversion of our hearts of stone to become  hearts of flesh. Let us go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In order to savor the glory of his resurrection. Jesus is so hopeful that we may come to him and believe that he is our true God and savior. As John 10:36 says, " As for me, the Father chose me and sent me into the world." Let us ask the Holy Spirit that we may be like the people in John 10:41-42, Many people came to him. " John performed no miracles", they said, " but everything he said about this man was true." And many people there believed in him.
                                        

• What word or words in today's passages struck you the most?                             
• Do you allow Jesus to save you from your sins? How?

On Calvary, two ways of thinking collided.  In the Gospel, the words of the crucified Jesus are in sharp contrast with the words of those who crucified him. The latter keep saying: “Save yourself”. The leaders of the people said: “Let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One” (Lk 23:35). The soldiers said the same thing: “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself” (v. 37). Finally, one of the criminals, echoing their words, said to him: “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself” (v. 39).  Save yourself. Take care of yourself. Think of yourself. Not of others, but only of your own well-being, your own success, your own interests: your possessions, your power, your image.  Save yourself.  This is the constant refrain of the world that crucified the Lord. Let us think about it.
 
Against this self-centered mindset is God’s way of thinking. The mantra “save yourself” collides with the words of the Saviour who offers himself. Like his adversaries, Jesus speaks three times in today’s Gospel (cf. vv. 34.43.46). Yet he did not claim anything for himself; indeed, he did not even defend or justify himself. He prayed to the Father and offered mercy to the good thief. One of his words, in particular, marked the difference with regard to the mantra “save yourself”. He said: “Father, forgive them” (v. 34).
 
Let us reflect on the Lord’s words.  When did he say them? At a very specific moment: while he was being crucified, as he felt the nails piercing his wrists and feet. Let us try to imagine the excruciating pain he suffered. At that moment, amid the most searing physical pain of his Passion, Christ asked forgiveness for those who were piercing him. At times like that, we would scream out and give vent to all our anger and suffering. But Jesus said: Father, forgive them.
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Unlike the other martyrs about whom the Bible speaks (cf. 2 Mac 7:18-19), Jesus did not rebuke his executioners or threaten punishments in the name of God; rather, he prayed for the evildoers. Fastened to the gibbet of humiliation, his attitude of giving became that of forgiving.
Brothers and sisters, God does the same thing with us.  When we cause suffering by our actions, God suffers yet has only one desire: to forgive us. In order to appreciate this, let us gaze upon the crucified Lord. It is from his painful wounds, from the streams of blood caused by the nails of our sinfulness that forgiveness gushes forth. Let us look to Jesus on the cross and realize that greater words were never spoken: Father, forgive. Let us look to Jesus on the cross and realize that we have never been looked upon with a more gentle and compassionate gaze. Let us look to Jesus on the cross and understand that we have never received a more loving embrace. Let us look to the crucified Lord and say: “Thank you, Jesus: you love me and always forgive me, even at those times when I find it hard to love and forgive myself”.
 
There, as he was being crucified, at the height of his pain, Jesus himself obeyed the most demanding of his commandments: that we love our enemies. Let us think about someone who, in our own lives, injured, offended or disappointed us; someone who made us angry, who did not understand us or who set a bad example.  How often we spend time looking back on those who have wronged us! How often we think back and lick the wounds that other people, life itself and history have inflicted on us. Today, Jesus teaches us not to remain there, but to react, to break the vicious circle of evil and sorrow. To react to the nails in our lives with love, to the buffets of hatred with the embrace of forgiveness. As disciples of Jesus, do we follow the Master or do we follow our own desire to strike back? This is a question we have to ask ourselves. Do we follow the Master or not?
 
If we want to test whether we truly belong to Christ, let us look at how we behave toward those who have hurt us.  The Lord asks us to respond not as we feel, or as everyone else does, but in the way he acts toward us. He asks us to break out of the mindset that says: “I will love you if you love me; I will be your friend if you are my friend; I will help you if you help me”. Rather, we are to show compassion and mercy to everyone, for God sees a son or a daughter in each person. He does not separate us into good and bad, friends and enemies. We are the ones who do this, and we make God suffer. For him, all of us are his beloved children, children whom he desires to embrace and forgive. Just as in the parable of the wedding feast, where the father of the groom sends his servants into the streets and says: “Invite everybody: white, black, good and bad, everybody, the healthy, the sick, everybody…” (cf. Mt 22:9-10). The love of Jesus is for everyone; everyone has the same privilege: that of being loved and forgiven.
 
Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. According to the Gospel, Jesus “kept saying” this (cf. v. 34). He did not say it once for all as he was being nailed to the cross; instead, he spent all his time on the cross with these words on his lips and in his heart. God never tires of forgiving. We need to understand this, not just in our minds, but also in our hearts. God never tires of forgiving. We are the ones who get tired of asking forgiveness. But he never tires of forgiving. He does not put up with us for a while and then change his mind, as we are tempted to do.  Jesus – so the Gospel of Luke teaches us – came into the world to bring us forgiveness for our sins (cf. Lk 1:77). In the end, he gave us a clear command: to proclaim forgiveness of sins to everyone in his name (cf. Lk 24:47). Let us never grow tired of proclaiming God’s forgiveness: we priests, of administering it; all Christians, of receiving it and bearing witness to it. Let us never grow tired when it comes to God’s forgiveness.
 
Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Let us observe one more thing. Jesus not only asked that they be forgiven, but also mentioned the reason why: for they know not what they do. How could that be? Those who crucified him had premeditated his killing, organized his arrest and trials, and now they were standing on Calvary to witness his death. Yet Christ justifies those violent men by saying: they know not. That is how Jesus acts in our regard: he makes himself our advocate.  He does not set himself against us, but for us and against our sins. His words make us think: for they know not. It is the ignorance of the heart, which all of us have as sinners.
When we resort to violence, we show that we no longer know anything about God, who is our Father, or even about others, who are our brothers and sisters.  We lose sight of why we are in the world and even end up committing senseless acts of cruelty. We see this in the folly of war, where Christ is crucified yet another time. Christ is once more nailed to the Cross in mothers who mourn the unjust death of husbands and sons. He is crucified in refugees who flee from bombs with children in their arms. He is crucified in the elderly left alone to die; in young people deprived of a future; in soldiers sent to kill their brothers and sisters. Christ is being crucified there, today.
 
Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.  Many people heard these extraordinary words, but only one person responded to them. He was a criminal, crucified next to Jesus.  We can imagine that the mercy of Christ stirred up in him one last hope and led him to speak these words: “Jesus, remember me” (Lk 23:42). As if to say: “Everyone else has forgotten me, yet you keep thinking of those who crucify you. With you, then, there is also a place for me”. The good thief accepted God as his life was ending, and in this way, his life began anew. In the hell of this world, he saw heaven opening up: “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (v. 43). This is the marvel of God’s forgiveness, which turned the last request of a man condemned to death into the first canonization of history.
 
Brothers and sisters, in the course of this week, let us cling to the certainty that God can forgive every sin. He forgives everyone. He can bridge every distance, and turn all mourning into dancing (cf. Ps 30:12). The certainty that with Jesus there is always a place for everyone. That with Christ things are never over. That with him, it is never too late. With God, we can always come back to life.  Take courage! Let us journey toward Easter with his forgiveness. For Christ constantly intercedes for us before the Father (cf. Heb 7:25). Gazing upon our violent and tormented world, he never tires of repeating: Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Let us now do the same, in silence, in our hearts, and repeat: Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.

General Theme:
Pilgrims of Hope
 
General Objective:
To live with faith and hope this Jubilee Year
 
Objective of the week:
That we may grow in faith, love and hope during this fourth week of Lent.

The fourth week of Lent started yesterday with the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. This beautiful passage reveals the sentiments of God, our Father, towards us, his children. 
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   If He is always waiting for us, who can prevent us from his embrace? Lent is almost ending. Let´s repent and go back to him recognizing the moments we have been far from Him.

Isaiah 65:17-21
17 See, I am creating new heavens and a new earth; The former things shall not be remembered nor come to mind. 18 Instead, shout for joy and be glad forever in what I am creating. Indeed, I am creating Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; 19I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people. No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there, or the sound of crying;
20 No longer shall there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, nor anyone who does not live a full lifetime; One who dies at a hundred years shall be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred shall be thought accursed. 21 They shall build houses and live in them, they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit;
 
Psalm 30
 “I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me”
 
John 4:43-54
Return to Galilee.
43 [a]After the two days, he left there for Galilee. 44 [b]For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his native place. 45 When he came into Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, since they had seen all he had done in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves had gone to the feast.
 
Second Sign at Cana.
[c] 46 Then he returned to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. Now there was a royal official whose son was ill in Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, who was near death. 48 Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” 49 The royal official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “You may go; your son will live.” The man believed what Jesus said to him and left. 51 While he was on his way back, his slaves met him and told him that his boy would live. 52 He asked them when he began to recover. They told him, “The fever left him yesterday, about one in the afternoon.” 53 The father realized that just at that time Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live,” and he and his whole household came to believe. 54 [Now] this was the second sign Jesus did when he came to Galilee from Judea.
 
In this gospel, we can witness the beautiful story of a genuine faith that does not demand a sign, in which a pagan officer approached Jesus to heal his dying son. By the word of Jesus, his son was healed. It sounds ironic because a pagan welcomes and believes in Jesus, unlike the people in his hometown who reject him.
 
Jesus shows us the image of a compassionate God who does not discriminate against anyone. However, the pagan officer sees that Jesus is his only hope to recover his son's health; consequently, Jesus noticed the sincerity of the officer's heart that he immediately granted his request. Similar to this pagan, we in our uncertainties and unfavorableness  seek refuge from God.
 
In this fourth week of lent let us deepen our faith and take advantage of the mercy of God by humbly  asking forgiveness for all our shortcomings and by his grace, we will be healed from our sinful ways. Let us come to him because he is our only hope and refuge to complete this challenging journey of life. As the Father sees our weakness, he longs to embrace us again; he fixes his eyes on us waiting for our return.
 
Let us ponder this Lent the highest evidence of his love that through Jesus' suffering and death, he created new heavens and new earth, where there will be no more weeping and crying. Through our baptism, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit as children of God and by our sacramental confession, He joyfully forgives and forgets our sins. As said in Isaiah 65: 17-18" See, I will create new heavens and new earth. The former things will not be remembered. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. We shall be grateful to Him for He has been so kind and merciful to us and we shall say, "I will praise you Lord for you have rescued me." ( Is. 30:1)
 

• Do I consider the essentiality of the Lenten Season as part of my salvation?
• How have I been taking advantage of God's mercy?

Ezekiel 47:1-9.12
1 Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and there! I saw water flowing out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east. The water flowed out toward the right side of the temple to the south of the altar. 2 He brought me by way of the north gate and around the outside to the outer gate facing east; there I saw water trickling from the southern side. 3 When he continued eastward with a measuring cord in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and had me wade through the water; it was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and once more had me wade through the water; it was up to the knees. He measured another thousand cubits and had me wade through the water; it was up to my waist. 5 Once more he measured off a thousand cubits. Now it was a river I could not wade across. The water had risen so high, I would have to swim—a river that was impassable. 6 Then he asked me, “Do you see this, son of man?” He brought me to the bank of the river and had me sit down. 7 As I was returning, I saw along the bank of the river a great many trees on each side. 8 He said to me, “This water flows out into the eastern district, runs down into the Arabah and empties into the polluted waters of the sea[b] to freshen them. 9 Wherever it flows, the river teems with every kind of living creature; fish will abound. Where these waters flow they refresh; everything lives where the river goes. 10 Fishermen will stand along its shore from En-gedi to En-eglaim;[c] it will become a place for drying nets, and it will abound with as many kinds of fish as the Great Sea. 11 Its marshes and swamps shall not be made fresh, but will be left for salt. 12 Along each bank of the river every kind of fruit tree will grow; their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fresh fruit because the waters of the river flow out from the sanctuary. Their fruit is used for food, and their leaves for healing.”
 
Psalm 46
“The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob”
 
John 5:1-16
1 After this, there was a feast[b] of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep [Gate][c] a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. 3 In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled.[d] [4 ][e] 5 One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” 7 The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” 8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” 9 Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.
Now that day was a sabbath. 10 So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” 11 He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’” 12 They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” 13 The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. 14 [f]After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. 16 Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.
 
   John 5:1-16 relates the miracle at the pool of Bethesda. Jesus met an ill man and asked him: “Do you want to get well?”. In other words: “Do you want to be healed?” Being sick for 38 years, he found it impossible to enter into the pool to be cured. And Jesus listened to his narration: “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus took pity on him and said: “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.”
 
  Jesus, the Divine Physician, is always encountering people in need of health. According to Saint Patrick: “Christ is beside me, before me, behind me, within me, beneath me, above me.” He is near to those who are weak and suffering.
 
   He is asking each one of us today: “Do you want to be healed? Healed from our physical sickness as well as our spiritual ones. We are healed when we are forgiven. Let us  acknowledge what separates us from God and go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation for us to get up and walk. When we are absolved of our sins, we start a new life. The forgiveness from God opens the way for us to walk in a new direction towards the future.
 

• Do I recognize that God looks at me with love and listens to me?
• Do I take the Sacrament of Reconciliation as God's outpouring love for me? Do I see myself in need of His love?

Isaiah 49:8-15
Thus says the Lord:
In a time of favor I answer you,
    on the day of salvation I help you;
I form you and set you
    as a covenant for the people,
To restore the land
    and allot the devastated heritages,
9 To say to the prisoners: Come out!
    To those in darkness: Show yourselves!
Along the roadways they shall find pasture,
    on every barren height shall their pastures be.
10 They shall not hunger or thirst;
    nor shall scorching wind or sun strike them;
For he who pities them leads them
    and guides them beside springs of water.
11 I will turn all my mountains into roadway,
    and make my highways level.
12 See, these shall come from afar:
    some from the north and the west,
    others from the land of Syene.
 
13 Sing out, heavens, and rejoice, 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.
 
Psalm 145
“The Lord is gracious and merciful”
 
John 5:17-30
 17 [g]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 [k]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.
 
In today's readings we can see how God chose us regardless of who we are or where we are or what status we hold. His love does not hold bias or partiality to anyone. We are reminded that He was the one who calls us to bring others closer to Him just as Jesus did. Though this has not always been easy, as a follower of Christ, we can find hope in the words of Jesus himself, “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.” And so, even in the lost and lowest moments of our life as a disciple of Christ, God assures us with His words, “I will never forget you” “In a time of favor I answer you on the day of salvation I help you”. We only need to remain firm in faith and come close to God to receive the grace that we need to live and to love.
 

• What particular struggles and difficulties in life am I facing now? How do I think God is forming me in those moments?
• Am I seeking to please God above all else or am I pursuing my own desires? In what way can I uplift my spirits to follow His plan?

Exodus 32:7-14  
   7 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’
9 “I have seen these people,” the LORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
11 But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. “LORD,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” 14 Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
 
Psalm 106
“Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people”
 
John 5:31-47
31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.
33 “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
36 “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You study[c] the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God[ 45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed in Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” the glory that comes from the only God?
 
God’s love to each one of us is truly far greater than our sins/inequities. So that even when we are stiff-necked people; people who continue to obey our will rather than that of God’s, He relents from punishing us. He persists to give us chances to change and to be renewed through His love and mercy. We continue to find favor in our generous and merciful God. We also witness how Moses, a friend of God, finds favor on behalf of his people. In Ex 33:11, "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend." This striking portrayal emphasizes Moses’ unique relationship with God, marked by direct communication and mutual intimacy. As Verbum Dei disciples this can mean two significant things in our following of Jesus. Firstly, that we are His true disciples when we love God above all things so we need to truly obey His commandment of love. Secondly, we are called to be Moses of the world of today, who is intimately a friend of Jesus who can speak to Him face to face on behalf of the people who are losing faith and hope, because of many challenging realities (signs of time).
 

• In what aspect of my discipleship is Jesus asking me for a conversion?
• How can I intercede like Moses today?

Wisdom 2: 1a.12-22
12 [a]Let us lie in wait for the righteous one, because he is annoying to us;
    he opposes our actions,
Reproaches us for transgressions of the law[b]
    and charges us with violations of our training.
13 He professes to have knowledge of God
    and styles himself a child of the Lord.
14 To us he is the censure of our thoughts;
    merely to see him is a hardship for us,
15 Because his life is not like that of others,
    and different are his ways.
16 He judges us debased;
    he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure.
He calls blest the destiny of the righteous
    and boasts that God is his Father.
17 Let us see whether his words be true;
    let us find out what will happen to him in the end.
18 For if the righteous one is the son of God, God will help him
    and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
19 With violence and torture let us put him to the test
    that we may have proof of his gentleness
    and try his patience.
20 Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
    for according to his own words, God will take care of him.”
21 These were their thoughts, but they erred;
    for their wickedness blinded them,
22 [c]And they did not know the hidden counsels of God;
    neither did they count on a recompense for holiness
    nor discern the innocent souls’ reward.
 
Psalm 34
“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted”
 
John 7:1-2.10.25-30 
1[a]After this, Jesus moved about within Galilee; but he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. 2 But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. 10 But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but [as it were] in secret. 25 So some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? 26 And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities[a] have realized that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where he is from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” 28 So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.
                              
How is our preparation in this fourth week of Lent? Hoping that all of us have a meaningful preparation, availing the great opportunity for conversion of hearts and to start living a new life as Catholic Christians. We are encouraged to hope more in the love and mercy of our God and Father. We need to trust in him fully. For he is very faithful to his promise for all of us. This promise of God is about his secrets that come from his love and mercy for all of us. Wisdom 2:22 says, " They have never known God's secrets, never hoped for the rewards of a holy and blameless life." How wonderful that God reveals his secrets to all of us, even how sinful we are. He reveals it to us through his son Jesus. In this fourth week of Lent, let us put all our hope in the  Lord. For his love and mercy is so great that he sends his only begotten son, the savior of all. John 7:28-29 says, " I have not come on my own authority. He who sent me, however, is truthful. You do not know him, but I know him because I came from him and he sent me." In our prayers today, let us listen intently to what Jesus is telling us about his passion, death, and resurrection,  for where comes our real hope. For it is only in Jesus,  that can lead us to God's secrets: " our rewards of a holy and blameless life."       
 

• How's your prayer life in this fourth week of Lent?                 
• What is the invitation of Jesus for you to be able to have a meaningful Lenten preparation?

​“Early in the morning Jesus came again to the temple; all the people came to him” (Jn 8:2).  These words introduce the story of the woman caught in adultery.  The background is serene: it is morning in the holy place, in the heart of Jerusalem.  At the centre is are the people of God, who are looking for Jesus, the Master, in the courtyard of the temple: they want to listen to him, because his words are insightful and heartwarming.  There is nothing abstract in his teaching; it touches, frees, transforms and renews real life.  Here we see the “intuition” of the people of God; they are not satisfied with the temple built of stones, but flock around the person of Jesus.  In this passage, we can see the believers of every age, the holy people of God.  Here in Malta, that people is numerous and lively, faithful in seeking the Lord through a concrete, lived faith.  For this, I thank all of you.
 
In the presence of those people, Jesus takes his time: the Gospel tells us that, “he sat down and taught them” (v. 2).  Yet, there are empty seats in that school of Jesus.  Absent are the woman and her accusers.  Unlike the others, they did not go to the Master.  They all have their reasons: the scribes and the Pharisees think that they already know everything and do not need the teaching of Jesus; the woman, on the other hand, is lost and confused, someone who went astray looking for happiness in the wrong places.  They were absent for different reasons, and the story will end differently for each of them.  Let us reflect on these “absentees”.
 
First of all, let us consider the accusers of the woman.  In them, we see a reflection of all those who pride themselves on being righteous, observers of God’s law, decent and respectable people.  They disregard their own faults, yet they are very concerned about those of others.  They go to Jesus: not with open hearts to hear his words, but “to test him and to have some charge to bring against him” (v. 6).  This reveals the inner thoughts of these cultivated and religious people, who know the Scriptures and visit the temple, yet subordinate this to their personal interests and do not resist the evil thoughts brewing in their hearts.  In the eyes of the people, they appear to be experts in things of God, yet they fail to recognize Jesus; indeed, they view him as an enemy to be eliminated.  To achieve this, they set before him someone they scornfully refer to as “this woman”, treating her as a thing, and publicly denouncing her adultery.  They call for the woman to be stoned, and pour out on her all their hostility to the compassion shown by Jesus.  And they do so under the cloak of their reputation as devout and religious men.
 
Brothers and sisters, these Gospel personages remind us that at any time our individual and communal religiosity can conceal the worm of hypocrisy and the urge to point the finger at others.  We can always run the risk of failing to understand Jesus, of having his name on our lips but denying him by the way that we live.  Even as we raise banners displaying the cross.  How, then, can we prove whether or not we are true disciples of the Master?  We do so by the way we regard our neighbour and the way we regard ourselves.  This is an important point in the definition of who we are.
 
By the way we regard our neighbour: whether we do this with a look of mercy, as Jesus shows us today, or with a look of judgement, even contempt, like the accusers of the Gospel, who present themselves as God’s defenders but who fail to realize that they are trampling on their sisters and brothers.  Those who believe they are upholding the faith by pointing their finger at others may have a certain “religiosity”, but they have not embraced the spirit of the Gospel, for they disregard mercy, which is the heart of God.
 
To understand whether we are true disciples of the Master or not, we need to think about how we view ourselves.  The accusers of the woman were convinced that they had nothing to learn.  Their outward appearance was impeccable, yet they lacked the truth of the heart.  They represent those believers who in every age make faith part of their façade; they present an impressive and solemn exterior, yet they lack interior poverty, the greatest treasure of the human heart.  For Jesus, what really counts is openness and docility on the part of those who do not consider themselves secure, but recognize their need for salvation.  It is good for us then, whenever we pray, but also whenever we participate in lovely religious services, to ask ourselves if we are truly attuned to the Lord.  We can ask him straightaway, “Jesus, here I am with you, but what is it that you want from me?  What is in my heart, in my life, that you want me to change?  How do you want me to regard others?”  Praying like that will do us good, because the Master is not content with appearances; he seeks the truth of the heart.  Once we open our hearts to him in truth, he can work wonders in us.
 
We see this in the woman caught in adultery.  Her situation seemed hopeless, but then a new and unexpected horizon opened up before her.  She was insulted and awaiting merciless judgment and severe punishment.  Yet to her amazement, she finds herself acquitted by God, who points her to a future she did not at all anticipate: “Has no one condemned you?” — Jesus says to her — “Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again” (vv. 10.11).  What a difference there is between the Master and the woman’s accusers!  They cited the Scriptures to condemn her; Jesus, the very Word of God, completely rehabilitates the woman, restoring her hope.  From this story, we learn that any judgment that is not inspired and moved by charity only serves to make things worse for those who receive it.  God, on the other hand, always leaves room for second chance; he can always find paths that lead to liberation and salvation.
 
Forgiveness changed that woman’s life.  Mercy and misery embraced.  Mercy and misery met there, and the woman’s life changed.
 
We can even speculate whether, after being forgiven by Jesus, she was able in turn to forgive others.  Perhaps she even came to see her accusers no longer as harsh and wicked men, but as the means that led to her encounter with Jesus.  The Lord also wants us, his disciples, his Church, likewise forgiven by him, to become tireless witnesses of reconciliation.  Witnesses of a God for whom the word “irredeemable” does not exist, a God who always forgives.  God always forgives.  We are the ones who get tired of asking for forgiveness.  Our God is a God who never stops believing in us and always gives us a chance to start anew.  There is no sin or failure that we can bring before him that cannot become the opportunity for starting to live a new and different life under the banner of mercy.  There is no sin that cannot be treated in this manner.  God forgives everything.  He forgives every sin.
This is the Lord Jesus.  We truly know him when we experience his forgiveness, and when, like the woman in the Gospel, we discover that God comes to us through our inner woundedness.  That is indeed where the Lord loves to make himself known, for he came not for the healthy but for the sick (cf. Mt 9:12).  Today, that woman, who found mercy amid her misery and who went away healed by Jesus’ forgiveness, invites us, as Church, to return to the school of the Gospel, to learn from the God of hope who never ceases to surprise us.  If we imitate him, we will not be inclined to focus on condemning sins, but on setting out with love in search of sinners.  We will be content with those already present, but will go out in search of those absent.  We will not go back to pointing fingers, but will start listening.  We will not discard the despised, but view as first those whom others consider least.  Brothers and sisters, this is what Jesus teaches us today by his example.  Let us allow him to amaze us.  Let us joyfully welcome the good news he brings.

Father in heaven,
may the faith you have given us
in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother,
and the flame of charity enkindled
in our hearts by the Holy Spirit,
reawaken in us the blessed hope
for the coming of your Kingdom.
 
May your grace transform us
into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity
and the whole cosmos
in the sure expectation
of a new heaven and a new earth,
when, with the powers of Evil vanquished,
your glory will shine eternally.
 
May the grace of the Jubilee
reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope,
a yearning for the treasures of heaven.
May that same grace spread
the joy and peace of our Redeemer
throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed,
be glory and praise for ever.
Amen