Lent 5. 2016 16th March - "If God were your father"

16th March

(C)Br. Luke Efo 2010

Scripture John 8: 31-42

31 Yeshua therefore said to those Judeans who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s offspring, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Yeshua answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin. 35 A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever. 36 If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s offspring, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. 38 I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have seen with your father.”
39 They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.”
Yeshua said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this. 41 You do the works of your father.”
They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.”
42 Therefore Yeshua said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me.


Reflection:

42 Therefore Yeshua said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me.” Jesus is highlighting the mismatch between what the people were claiming and what they were doing. It is the same today. Often what we say and what we do, do not connect. Jesus reminds us to keep the connection between the two strong and to focus on God, not ourselves.

Your thoughts:

Lent 5. 2016 15th March - He who sent me is with me

15th March

(C) Br. Luke Efo 2010

Scripture John 8: 21-30

21 Yeshua said therefore again to them, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you can’t come.”
22 The Judeans therefore said, “Will he kill himself, because he says, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come’?”
23 He said to them, “You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. 24 I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”
25 They said therefore to him, “Who are you?”
Yeshua said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you. However he who sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these I say to the world.”
27 They didn’t understand that he spoke to them about the Father. 28 Yeshua therefore said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I say these things. 29 He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”
30 As he spoke these things, many believed in him.


Reflection:

“He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” (verse 29) Jesus was talking about his relationship with the Father. Are we as confident in our relationship with God? In those dark times when we may know that we should turn to, and not away from God, do we say with such surety “he has not left me alone”? Given so many stumble at that time, I suspect the answer for many of us is no. We can be confident, it is hard work, but be strong and trust.

Your thoughts:

Lent 5, 2016 14th March - an excuse to condemn

14th March

(C)Br Luke 2010

Scripture John 8: 1-11

1 but Yeshua went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Now very early in the morning, he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down and taught them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the middle, 4 they told him, “Rabbi, we found this woman in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now in our Torah, Moses commanded us to stone such women. What then do you say about her?” 6 They said this testing him, that they might have something to accuse him of.
But Yeshua stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7 But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said to them, “He who is without sin amongst you, let him throw the first stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger.
9 They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Yeshua was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle. 10 Yeshua, standing up, saw her and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
Yeshua said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”


Reflection:

Those gathered were looking for an excuse to condemn, both the woman and Jesus. Have you ever wondered what Jesus wrote with his finger? Could it have been the sins that the people standing around had committed? We are not comfortable when confronted by the reality of our sins? We often try to avoid taking the blame, always finding some excuse or reason why it happened? Jesus asks us to admit, face them, and then, filled with grace and forgiveness start again. The crowd dispersed when faced with their own sins. Jesus forgave the woman and us - if we let him! Will you?

Your thoughts:

Lent 5. 2016 13th March - Whenever we live a gospel life

13th March

(C)Br Luke Efo 2010

Scripture John 12: 1-8

1 Then six days before the Passover, Yeshua came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him. 3 Therefore Miriam took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed Yeshua’s feet and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. 4 Then Judah Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said, 5 “Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor?” 6 Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it. 7 But Yeshua said, “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial. 8 For you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”


Reflection:

Whenever we live a gospel life, or do something that shows our commitment to help others, there will always be people like Judas, who will find fault with our actions. Some of these people may even be close to us. We can give into their criticisms and stop living our lives. Or we can remain true to our calling, to our vocations, to our commitment and see the actions to the end. Which do you choose?

Your thoughts:

Lent 4. 2016 12th March - miracles and teachings were not enough

12th March

(C)Br Luke Efo 2010

Scripture John 7: 40-52

40 Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, “This is truly the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some said, “What, does the Messiah come out of Galilee? 42 Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Messiah comes of the offspring of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So a division arose in the multitude because of him. 44 Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him. 45 The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”
46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!”
47 The Pharisees therefore answered them, “You aren’t also led astray, are you? 48 Have any of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees? 49 But this multitude that doesn’t know the Torah is cursed.”
50 Nicodemus (he who came to him by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our Torah judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?”
52 They answered him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search, and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”


Reflection:

The miracles and teachings were not enough, they needed proof that fitted with their expectations, their knowledge of the “law” or their painstaking studies. When they did not find what they expected to see, they judged and ultimately condemned him. When one sticks rigidly to one’s expectations, one will often miss what is all around. The people knew, but the people were treated with contempt. What about you? Do you stick rigidly to your expectations, or can you see beyond – into the mystery that is God?

Your thoughts:

Lent 4. 2016 11th March -They sought therefore to take him

11th March

Scripture John 7: 25-30

25 Therefore some of them of Jerusalem said, “Isn’t this he whom they seek to kill? 26 Behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is truly the Messiah? 27 However we know where this man comes from, but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he comes from.”
28 Yeshua therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don’t know. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”
30 They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.


Reflection:

"They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come." His listeners did not want to believe what they were hearing. They had set their minds on another course of action and so were deaf to the message being proclaimed to them. They actively looked for reasons not to believe. We can be like this, but when we do, we are not listening to the message but to the voices that want to drown it. Be diligent and look and listen to Jesus, not the loud competing, earthly voices.

Your thoughts:

Lent 4 2016 10th March- You search the Scriptures

10th March

(C)Br. Luke Efo 2010

Scripture John 5: 31-47

31 “If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid. 32 It is another who testifies about me. I know that the testimony which he testifies about me is true. 33 You have sent to Yochanan, and he has testified to the truth. 34 But the testimony which I receive is not from man. However, I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony which I have is greater than that of Yochanan, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me. 37 The Father himself, who sent me, has testified about me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his form. 38 You don’t have his word living in you; because you don’t believe him whom he sent.
39 “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. 40 Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life. 41 I don’t receive glory from men. 42 But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you don’t receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God?
45 “Don’t think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. 47 But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”


Reflection:
"You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me". The words we find in scripture can enlighten, teach, guide and strengthen us. They can open for us, help us understand, that which was for centuries, hidden. But for some they do a lot more. For some they show us, invite us to enter into, the essence of faith, of belief – they show us the path which enables us to experience the Divine. But we have to be willing to walk that path, to take the words and believe them. For many today this seems impossible. What about you?

Your thoughts: