Daily Reflection for Thursday March 18, 2021
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Thursday's readings at this link:
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031821.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Exodus 32:7-14
Responsorial: Psalm 106:19-20, 21-22, 23
Gospel: John 5:31-47
Our reflection on Thursday’s readings:
But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true. (John 5: 32)
One of my Lenten practices this year is to read a reflection daily from a book called Bread and Wine ~ Readings for Lent and Easter. In today’s reflection, Peter Kreeft’s opening line is, “I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross.” He goes on to reflect how he understands Jesus’ suffering as the ultimate expression of love.
The Lenten readings today reveal the tension, doubt, and unrest that is starting to enter the community that surrounds Jesus. He is being questioned by the righteous. Even believers are starting to question their beliefs. Yet through all of this, Jesus continues to stay true to His love for the community because He knows the truth. He knows that the only one who will defend Him is God and not the human community that He loves so much. He stays true as He begins to face rejection.
I think and pray for a friend as I write this reflection. She is resigning from her job today. She feels that she has not been heard. She is owning her responsibility and understands that her learning curve is not keeping pace with the requirements of the job. However, she feels that the feedback process from her supervisor is a blaming one versus a teachable one. She feels rejected and that her truth and her goodness are not being seen, and her weaknesses are being emphasized. Of course, I only see her goodness; my heart just aches for her as she goes through this process.
I am comforted by the readings today as I reflect on rejection. Rejection is something we all go through in our lives. I have been rejected by those that I thought truly accepted me, and I feel for my friend today. In today’s reading God show us His mercy and unwavering commitment to truth even when faced with rejection. Jesus responds with truth, love, and forgiveness and never strays from this. I am starting to understand this on a deeper level as I lean into these radical responses to rejection. While I have a long way to go to fully understand how to love and forgive, I know I can only respond like this with God and not by relying on my own human capacity. It is God who understands this ultimate suffering for those He loved, even for those that rejected Him.
May you turn to Him today as you reflect on your rejection story,
Margarita Solis Deal