A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (5:17-30)
Jesus answered the Jews:
“My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.”
For this reason they 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.
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own,
but only what he sees the Father doing;
for what he does, the Son will do also.
For the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything that he himself does,
and he will show him greater works than these,
so that you may be amazed.
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,
so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.
Nor does the Father judge anyone,
but he has given all judgment to the Son,
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.
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.
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.
For just as the Father has life in himself,
so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself.
And he gave him power to exercise judgment,
because he is the Son of Man.
Do not be amazed at this,
because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs
will hear his voice 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.
“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.”
Reflection: Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today’s Gospel opening sentence, is a continuation of yesterday’s Gospel, when Jesus cured a paralyzed man, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When the Jews asked the man who had cured him, the man told the Jews, that Jesus was the one who had made him well. Instead of rejoicing in this miracle, the Jews become furious, because Jesus “broke the Sabbath.”
When Jesus is confronted by the Jews, He doesn’t apologize. He doesn’t say, “You’re right, I’ll stop.” Instead, His answer makes them even more furious; “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” In that short and striking sentence, Jesus announces His likeness, His equality, with God.
The Pharisees viewed God as a distant Lawmaker. But Jesus reveals God, as a working Father, and Himself, as the Son who acts in perfect union, with that Father.
There is this story of a master woodworker, who has spent a lifetime creating beautiful, elaborate furniture. He has a son who grows up in the shop, watching his father’s every move—how he selects the wood, how he holds the chisel, how he applies the finish. The son doesn’t just learn what to do; he learns the master’s passionate skill.
When the master passes away, the son takes over. He doesn’t invent new, strange furniture pieces. He creates pieces, that look exactly like his father’s. When a customer brings an old, broken chair, the son knows instantly how to fix, it because he remembers how his father fixed it. He works with his father’s tools, his father’s methods, and his father’s passion.
Jesus tells us today: “The Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing.” He is the perfect student. He looks at us, broken like that old chair, and He knows exactly how to make us whole, because He is acting, according to the Father’s loving plan. Christ, the Father, is always at work in our lives, never taking time off.
My brothers and sisters in Christ, we’re on the Fourth Week of Lent, are you taking time off from your Lent journey? Or perhaps, just going through the motions with your prayer, fasting and almsgiving? They are needed to help us to focus on our spiritual lives, drawing us closer to God and to one another.
Action for the day: In today’s Gospel, Jesus emphasizes doing only the Father’s will. Think of a powerful Lenten action, to intentionally align your daily work and actions, with God’s will, through an act of service, like:
Visiting the Homebound: Spend an hour with someone who cannot leave their home, bringing them communion or companionship.
Hospitality to Strangers: Invite a newcomer in your parish or neighborhood for a meal.
Tutoring/Mentoring: Offer free tutoring to a child struggling in school, treating it as a spiritual, life-giving work.
Almsgiving of Time: Volunteer at a local food pantry or soup kitchen on a Friday, skipping your usual leisure activity.
Audio Reflection:
