Mar 9: All from the Father through the Son

Anonymous German Master:
Altarpiece with Mercy Seat (central panel)
Staatliche Museen, Berlin, 1260-70

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Gospel: Jn 5:17-30

Jesus said to them, “For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself (NRSV, Jn 5:26).”

Father, we are grateful for your gift of the Word made flesh in your only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. In him, we see the expression of your great love for us in taking upon yourself a human body and becoming one with us and showing the way to the fullness of everlasting life by passing through death with us.

Jesus remains present to believers in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist in which we share his body and blood, under the appearance of bread and wine, and are ritually caught up in the one, true sacrifice which is your own inner life of giving, receiving and sharing in love.

We are also grateful, Father, for your Word as he is present at the innermost being of all of your daughters and sons. It is through your Word that you challenge us even in the womb, still without the benefit of language or logic, but in the power of the Spirit, to accept the gift of your divine life, Father, and become human beings.

Your Word remains ever present to us in each subsequent moment always challenging us to grow in your divine life. We may turn away from you, Father, in sin but your Word remains present to us challenging us to accept forgiveness and renewal of divine life.

Everything we are, Father, that makes us to be your daughters and sons, is through your Word. It is through your Word that we receive life from you, Father, and it is through your Word, in the Holy Spirit, that we are caught up in your inner being of giving, receiving and sharing. It is through your Word that in every moment we can move forward toward you who are our only future.

Alleluia. Amen.