Lenten Reflection - Day 25 - The depth of God's love and Calvary

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in his homily this morning, Fr. Doug said something in his homily on today's Gospel passage that struck me. He said that as we enter the last 2 weeks of Lent, when we reflect on the Passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, let us look at his death on the Cross at Calvaty in light of today's Gospel. When we do, we will begin to understand the magnitude of God's love for us because God died on the Cross for our salvation. The King of kings and Lord of lords died for our transgression so that we can be reconciled to the Father.

Let us meditate on that in light of our own sinfulness but, most of all, in light of our unwillingness to believe in God or enter into a relationship with our Father in heaven. [When I say "us" and "our", I speak of humanity as a whole.] There are so many who have no desire to give God praise and worship on Sundays, the Lord's Day, a holy day of obligation in which Mass attendance is required of the faithful. As we approach Holy Week with Palm Sunday, the Paschal Triduum, and Easter, let us be like Mary and John, who stood vigil at the Cross of Christ and not like the crowd who welcomed Jesus but then turned on him and turned away from him.

When we do, when we approach Holy Week with humble and contrite hearts, then Easter Sunday will not be just another holiday for us. Easter Sunday will be a day filled with joy, hope, peace, and love. We still have 2 weeks of Lent left, let us allow the Holy Spirit to transform us and prepare our hearts to love God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

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."