Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Today's Mass Readings

“Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice O earth, break forth into song, you mountains. For the LORD comforts his people and shows mercy to his afflicted.” This verse in our first reading speaks of the promised liberation and restoration of Zion, for they were a people in exile.

We too are a people in exile; we have come to know our Lord Jesus Christ through the many graces we have received, but at the same time, we eagerly await our eternal restoration to God the Father, His son our beloved Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. But how are we being led into this restoration? Jesus says in the Gospel, “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.” We cannot do anything good on our own but must look to the example of our beloved Jesus to guide our actions. This is why he sent the Holy Spirit to be with us always and we must come to desire this guiding light.

Jesus continues and says, “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.” If we listen with the ears of our hearts to his words and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus then he will bring us from our exile into the heavenly Jerusalem.

Reflection by Br. Placid Dale, OSB