Testimonies through endurance and faithfulness

THE WORD IN LENT 

Thursday, 4th week in Lent - March 31, 2022
Exodus 32: 7-14; John 5: 31-47

The Gospel today is a very dense passage where Jesus speaks of his testimonies to himself and to God who has sent him. In the extensive discourse, what he wants to highlight is that we know, we understand, we come to believe, but we fail to stand firm for long on these counts. A bit of a trouble, or a small delay in favours, or an untoward incident that breaks our plans, or an unexpected turn of events that gets us into crisis, take us away from God in no time. We see people going away from God, denying God, or creating their own gods when things do not go the way that they wanted.

The call is to be testimonies to the Lord and to what the Lord wants to accomplish in and through us. The recent events between Russia and Ukraine are disturbing but in those we have great tales of endurance and testimony. 

How ready and willing are we to hold on to what God wants from us? How daring are we to stand for what is Godly, instead of what is most convenient? The loud and clear critique of the Holy Father against the war and its justifications, is a strong message to the world, not to be wavering in our standing by the Lord. However faithful and merciful the Lord is, we find ourselves wanting in our fidelity to what is really good and what is truly from God. 

The Word today inspires a few other questions: how enduring are we in our commitment to the Lord? How prepared are we to hold on, in the face of struggles? How forgetful are we about the great things that the Lord has done for us all through our lives? How persevering are we to wait for the wonders that the Lord has in store for us!

The call is to believe in the Lord and to check how much our thoughts and words bear testimony to the Lord, the Lord who is forever faithful!