DAILY GOSPEL

«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68

Friday, 14 March 2008

Friday of the Fifth week of Lent

Today the Church celebrates : St Leobinus, St Matilde

See commentary below or click here
Odes of Solomon : "They tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power"

Book of Jeremiah 20,10-13.

Yes, I hear the whisperings of many: "Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!" All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. "Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him." But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, For he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 10,31-42.

The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?" The Jews answered him, "We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God." Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods"'? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize (and understand) that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." (Then) they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, "John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true." And many there began to believe in him.

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Commentary of the day :

Odes of Solomon (Hebrew Christian text from the beginning of the 2nd century)
No. 28

"They tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power"

As the wings of doves over their nestlings…
So also are the wings of the Spirit over my heart.
My heart continually refreshes itself and leaps for joy
Like the babe who leaps for joy in his mother's womb.

I trusted, consequently I was at rest;
because trustful is he in whom I trusted.
He has greatly blessed me, and my head is with him.
And the dagger shall not divide me from him,
nor the sword .

Because I am ready before destruction comes,
and have been placed in his incorruptible arms.
And immortal life embraced me and kissed me.
And from that (life) is the Spirit which is within me.
And it cannot die because it is life.

[Christ speaks:]
Those who saw me were amazed,
because I was persecuted.
And they thought that I had been swallowed up,
because I appeared to them as one of the lost.
But my defamation became my salvation.

And I became their abomination,
because there was no jealousy in me.
Because I continually did good to every man
I was hated.
And they surrounded me like mad dogs (Ps 22[21],17)
those who in stupidity attack their masters.
Because their mind is depraved, and their sense is perverted.

But I was carrying water in my right hand,
and their bitterness I endured by my sweetness.
And I did not perish, because I was not their brother,
nor was my birth like theirs.
And they sought my death but were unsuccessful
because I was older than their memory.

And in vain did they cast their lots against me.
And those who were after me
Sought in vain to destroy the memorial of him
Who was before them.
Because the mind of the Most High cannot be surpassed
And his heart is superior to all wisdom.
Hallelujah!

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