Mabuting Balita | Abril 14, 2022

Huwebes Santo

Ebanghelyo: Juan 13, 1-12

Bago magpiyesta ng Paskuwa, alam ni Jesus na dumating na ang kanyang oras upang tumawid mula sa mundong ito patungo sa Ama, at siya na nagmahal sa mga sariling kanya na nasa mundo, minahal niya sila hanggang sa katapusan. Naghahapunan sila at naipasok na ng diyablo sa isip ni Judas na anak ni Simon Iskariote, na ipagkanulo siya. Alam ni Jesus na ipinagkaloob ng Ama sa kanyang kamay ang lahat, at mula sa Diyos siya galing at sa Diyos siya pabalik. Kaya tumindig siya mula sa hapunan at hinubad ang tunika, at pagkakuha ng tuwalya ay ibinigkis sa sarili. Pagkatapos ay nagbuhos siya ng tubig sa hugasan, at nagpasimulang hugasan ang mga paa ng mga alagad at punasan ng tuwalyang nakabigkis sa kanya. Nang lumapit s’ya kay Simon Pedro sinabi nito sa kanya, “Panginoon, ikaw ba ang maghuhugas sa aking mga paa?” Sumagot si Jesus, “Hindi mo nauunawaan ngayon ang aking ginagawa, ngunit mauunawaan mo makaraan ang mga ito.” Sinabi sa kanya ni Pedro, “Hinding-hindi mo huhugasan ang aking mga paa, magpakailanman.” Sumagot si Jesus sa kanya, “Kung hindi kita huhugasan wala kang kaugnayan sa akin.” Sinabi sa kanya ni Simon Pedro, “Panginoon, hindi lamang ang mga paa ko, kundi pati na ang mga kamay at ulo.” Sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus, “Mga paa lamang ang kailangang hugasan nang naligo na dahil malinis na ang buo n’yang sarili. Malinis na nga kayo, subalit hindi lahat.” Kilala na ni Jesus kung sino ang magkakanulo sa kanya. Dahil dito kaya niya sinabing: ‘hindi lahat kayo’y malinis’. Kaya nang mahugasan niya ang kanilang paa, kinuha niya ang kanyang tunika, bumalik sa hapag at nagsalita sa kanila: “Nalalaman ba ninyo kung ano ang ginawa ko sa inyo? Kayo'y tumatawag sa aking 'Guro' at 'Panginoon.' Tama ang pagsasabi ninyo, dahil ako nga. Kaya kung hinugasan ko ang inyong paa, ako na siyang Panginoon at siyang Guro, gayundin naman kayo dapat maghugasan ng mga paa ng isa't isa. Isang halimbawa ang ibinigay ko sa inyo upang gawin ninyo gaya ng ginawa ko sa inyo.”

Pagninilay:

Nabubuhay tayo sa isang lipunan kung saan "karaniwan" para sa mga mayayaman at makapangyarihan ang pag-uutos sa mga tao, habang ang mga mahihirap at mga mababang-tao ang naglilingkod. Binaligtad ni Hesus ang pamantayang ito sa pamamagitan ng kanyang halimbawa sa ating Ebanghelyo. Ang paghuhugas ng paa ay gawain ng isang alipin, subalit ginawa ito ni Hesus upang turuan ang kanyang mga alagad ng tamang paglilingkod sa kapwa. Madalas ganito ang mentalidad ng ating lipunan, kapag mataas ang estado ng buhay, limitado ang paglilingkod sa kapwa. Datapwat ito ang katuruan ni Hesus: Nagpaka-aba siya upang maitampok at mai-angat ang tao lalo yaong nasa laylayan ng lipunan. Isang paglilingkod na may pagmamahal at pagpapahalaga.

- Fr. Brian Paul Lising, SSP | Society of St. Paul

GOSPEL POWER I APRIL 13, 2022

Wednesday of Holy WeeK

Gospel: Mt 26:14-25 

14Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to  the chief priests 15and said, “What will you give me if I betray him  [Jesus] to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16And from that  moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. 17On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to  Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to make the preparations for  you to eat the Passover?” 18He said, “Go into the city to a certain man,  and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the  Passover at your house with my disciples.’” 19So the disciples did as  Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. 20When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; 21and  while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will  betray me.” 22And they became greatly distressed and began to say to  him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” 23He answered, “The one  who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24The  Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom  the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one  not to have been born.” 25Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not  I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.” 

Matthew’s account of how Judas betrayed Jesus is the most  detailed and dramatized among the four Gospels. We  learn from it that Judas’ decision to conspire with the chief  priests is motivated by money. It is a demonstration of the tragic  consequence of failing to heed the teaching of Jesus regarding the  corrupting power of wealth. In Mt 6:24, Jesus already issued the  warning: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and  love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve  God and mammon.” The Gospel of John, with its side comment about  Judas stealing the contributions from the common money bag of the  disciples, completes the profile of Jesus’ betrayer, whose devotion to  mammon drives him to sell his own teacher and abandon the cause  of the heavenly Kingdom. The dark side of discipleship, which Judas  represents, is a possibility that we should always be vigilant about. Lord Jesus, deliver us from the danger of divided loyalties, and help us to choose you always above everything. Amen.

Mabuting Balita | Abril 13, 2022

Miyerkules Santo

Ebanghelyo: Mateo 26: 14-25

Pumunta sa mga Punong-pari ang isa sa Labindalawa, ang tinatawag na Judas Iskariote, at sinabi: “Magkano ang ibibigay ninyo sa akin kung ibibigay ko siya sa inyo? Inalok nila ito ng tatlumpung baryang pilak, at mula noon, naghanap ito ng pagkakataong maipagkanulo siya. Sa unang araw ng Piyesta ng Tinapay na Walang Lebadura, lumapit kay Jesus ang mga alagad at sinabi sa kanya: “Saan mo kami gustong maghanda ng Hapunang Pampaskuwa para sa iyo?” Sumagot si Jesus: “Puntahan ninyo ang lalaking ito sa lunsod at sabihin sa kanya: 'Sinabi ng Guro: malapit na ang oras ko at sa bahay mo ako magdiriwang ng Paskuwa kasama ng aking mga alagad.'” At ginawa ng mga alagad ang lahat ng iniutos ni Jesus at inihanda ang Paskuwa. Pagkalubog ng araw, nasa hapag si Jesus kasama ng Labindalawa. Habang kumakain sila, sinabi ni Jesus: “Talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo: ipagkakanulo ako ng isa sa inyo.” Lubha silang nalungkot at nagtanong ang bawat isa: “Ako ba, Panginoon?” Sumagot siya: “Ang kasabay kong nagsasawsaw ng tinapay sa plato ang magkakanulo sa akin. Patuloy sa kanyang daan ang anak ng Tao ayon sa isinulat tungkol sa kanya ngunit kawawa ang nagkakanulo sa Anak ng Tao; mas mabuti pa para sa taong ito kung hindi na siya ipinanganak pa.” Nagtanong din si Judas na magkakanulo sa kanya: “Ako ba, Guro?” Sumagot si Jesus: “Ikaw na ang nagsabi.”

Pagninilay:

Narinig niyo na ba ang katagang: “Betrayal rarely comes from your enemies?” Nasasabi natin ito marahil sa mga karanasan natin ng pagtataksil ng mga taong lubos nating pinagkakatiwalaan. Ang pagkakanulo sa mga romantikong relasyon ay tila pamilyar sa atin, ngunit sa katotohanan ay ang pagkakanulo ng isang malapit na kaibigan ay maaaring maging kasing bigo, o mas higit pa. Maliban sa kalungkutan, ano pa kaya ang naramdaman ng mga desipolo nang marinig nila ito kay Hesus? Ano kaya ang nararamdaman ni Hesus sa mga panahong iyon? Bilang ating modelo at guro, ipinakita ni Hesus kung papaano tayo dapat tumugon sa harap ng pagtataksil. Walang bahid ng galit at poot, walang pagsusumbat sa lahat ng naitulong niya sa kanyang mga alagad. Mahirap man ngunit ito ay paanyaya sa atin ni Kristo na tanggapin at yakapin natin ang lahat ng mga taong magtataksil sa atin nang may kapayapaan at kapatawaran. Amen.

- Cl. John Christian Lacap, SSP | Society of St. Paul

GOSPEL POWER I APRIL 12, 2022

Tuesday of Holy Week

Gospel: Jn 13:21-33, 36-38 

21After saying this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, “Very  truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22The disciples looked  at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23One of his  disciples – the one whom Jesus loved – was reclining next to him;  24Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he  was speaking. 25So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord,  who is it?” 26Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece  of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped  the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27After  he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to  him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” 28Now no one at the  table knew why he said this to him. 29Some thought that, because  Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we  need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor.  30So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And  it was night. 31When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has  been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been  glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify  him at once. 33Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You  will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where  I am going, you cannot come.’” …36Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?”  Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but  you will follow afterward.” 37Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not  follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38Jesus answered,  “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the  cock crows, you will have denied me three times.”  

The deep trouble that Jesus experiences is the grief of  frustrated love on account of the treachery of Judas. The  disciple has chosen darkness, and none of Jesus’ attempts  to draw him back to the light could reverse his decision. But Jesus  does not exclude Judas from the circle of his intimate friends and  will also love him “to the end” (Jn 13:1) together with the other  disciples. Though Judas exteriorly submits to the loving gesture of  foot-washing and accepts from Jesus the morsel of food that signifies  affection, interiorly he rejects their meaning. We are faced here with  the fundamental mystery of God’s respect for the gift of human  freedom, which he does not take back even when it is used to make  tragic choices and decisions. Judas is NOT an unfortunate character  chosen from all eternity to play the role of villain in a divinely written  script. Rather, with his freedom, Judas wrote the script of his own  life, and God integrated and fitted that script into the big picture of  his saving plan. Any speculation about Judas’ eternal fate should take  into consideration the fact that Jesus never withdrew his love from  him. 

Lord Jesus, help us to trust the mystery of your love and mercy which we can never fully fathom. Amen

Mabuting Balita | Abril 12, 2022

Martes Santo

Ebanghelyo: Juan 13: 21-33, 36-38

Nabagabag sa kalooban si Jesus, at nagpatotoo: “Talagang-talagang sinasabi ko sa inyo: Ipagkakanulo ako ng isa sa inyo.” Nagkatinginan ang mga alagad at hindi nila malaman kung sino ang tinutukoy niya. Nakahilig sa dibdib ni Jesus ang isa sa kanyang mga alagad, ang mahal ni Jesus. Kaya tinanguan ito ni Simon Pedro upang usisain si Jesus kung sino ang kanyang tinutukoy. Kaya paghilig niya sa dibdib ni Jesus, sinabi niya sa kanya: “Panginoon, sino ba iyon?” Sumagot si Jesus: “Iyon siyang ipagsasawsaw ko ng kapirasong tinapay at siya kong bibigyan.” At pagkasawsaw ng kapirasong tinapay, ibinigay niya iyon kay Judas, anak ni Simon Iskariote. Kasama ng kapirasong ito, pumasok sa kanya si Satanas. Kaya sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus: “Gawin mo agad ang gagawin mo.” Walang nakaunawa sa mga nakahilig sa hapag kung bakit sinabi niya iyon sa kanya. Dahil hawak ni Judas ang pananalapi, inakala ng ilan na sinabi sa kanya ni Jesus: “Bumili ka ng mga kailangan natin para sa Piyesta,” o kaya’y “Mag-abuloy ka sa mga dukha.” Kaya pagkakuha niya ng kapirasong tinapay, agad siyang lumabas. Gabi noon. Pagkalabas ni Judas, sinabi ni Jesus: “Niluwalhati na ngayon ang Anak ng Tao, at niluwalhati rin sa kanya ang Diyos. At luluwalhatin sa kanya ang Diyos, at agad niya siyang luluwalhatiin. Mga munting anak, sandali na lamang ninyo akong kasama. Hahanapin ninyo ako, ngunit gaya ng sinabi ko sa mga Judio: ‘Hindi kayo makaparoroon kung saan ako pupunta,’ sinasabi ko rin sa inyo ngayon. Sinabi sa kanya ni Simon Pedro: “Panginoon, saan ka papunta?” Sumagot sa kanya si Jesus: “Hindi ka makasusunod ngayon sa akin sa pupuntahan ko; susunod ka pagkatapos.” Winika sa kanya ni Pedro: “Panginoon, bakit hindi kita masusundan ngayon? Maiaalay ko ang aking buhay alang-alang sa iyo.” Sumagot si Jesus: “Maiaalay mo ang iyong buhay alang-alang sa akin? Talagang-talagang sinasabi ko sa iyo, hindi titilaok ang manok hanggang maitatuwa mo akong makaitlo.”

Pagninilay:

Kung paanong buong tapang iniwan ng mga Apostol ni Hesus ang kanilang sinaunang buhay, ngayong araw ay isang hudyat ng kaduwagan! Iiwan, ipagkakanulo, at itatatwa nila si Hesus. Walang naitala kung bakit nila ginawa ang mga ito. Isang kaibigang tapat, hinamak ang lahat, humihingi ng mga sandalling samahan siya magbata ng hirap—hindi naman nagkulang—iiwan, tatraydorin, itatatwa. Takot, lahat sila ay nagpadala sa kanya-kanyang takot. Duda, lahat sila may duda sa puso. Sa kabila ng lahat si Juan lamang ang nanatili—bagamat hindi ligtas marahil sa takot at duda.

Mga kapanalig, ngayong mga mahal na araw, ang panawagan ni Hesus ay samahan ninyo ako! Sa takot, tayo’y mas kakapit sa Kanya. Sa duda, tayo’y mas manalig sa kanya. Nakakalungkot isipin, siguro may dahilan ang mga apostol, hindi pa nila lubos Nakita ang kaganapan—ang muling pagkabuhay. Ngunit tayo? Alam na nating magtatagumpay si Hesus, pero paulit-ulit pa din natin siyang iniiwan, tinatraydor, itatatwa’t sinasaktan. Mga kapanalig, Huwag natin iwanan si Hesus. Samahan natin siyang makatawid sa kanyang Muling Pagkabuhay. Amen.

- Cl. Vinz Aurellano, SSP | Society of St. Paul

GOSPEL POWER I APRIL 11, 2022

Monday of Holy Week 

Gospel: Jn 12:1-11 1 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of  Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a  dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the  table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure  nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house  was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one  of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why  was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money  given to the poor?” 6 (He said this not because he cared about the  poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and  used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She  bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You  always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” 9 When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there,  they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom  he had raised from the dead. 10So the chief priests planned to put  Lazarus to death as well, 11since it was on account of him that many  of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus. 

T he costly perfumed oil with which Mary of Bethany  anoints Jesus does not only symbolize the depth of her  gratitude for what Jesus has done for her brother Lazarus.  Somehow, it also represents the costly implication of this miracle.  The life Jesus restored to his friend will now cost his own life, as  hostile forces unite against him. The Jewish religious leaders see only  the political instability that the raising of Lazarus could cause. And  Judas sees only the economic wastage implied by the costly anointing  of Jesus. All of them are blind to the unfolding of God’s saving plan… blind to the love that does not count the cost. No one can take the life  of Jesus from him, rather he will lay it down freely. Lazarus becomes  a representative-figure, standing in for all of us for whom Jesus will  die so that we may have life… and not only mortal earthly life, but  divine eternal life. 

Lord Jesus, as we commemorate your last days on earth, grant us a  deeper grasp of that love you so freely lavish on us without counting the cost. Amen.

GOSPEL POWER I APRIL 9, 2022 - SATURDAY

5th Week of Lent

Gospel: Jn 11:45-56 

45Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had  seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46But some of them went to  the Pharisees and told them what he had done. 47So the chief priests  and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, “What  are we to do? This man is performing many signs. 48If we let him go  on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come  and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” 49But one of them,  Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know  nothing at all! 50You do not understand that it is better for you to have  one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.”  51He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he  prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, 52and not for  the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God.  53So from that day on they planned to put him to death. 54Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the  Jews, but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near  the wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples. 55Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from  the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves.  56They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they  stood in the temple, “What do you think? Surely he will not come to  the festival, will he?” 

There is a significant interplay between death and life in today’s Gospel. The gift of life Jesus bestows on his  friend Lazarus ironically earns for him the final death  sentence pronounced by the highest religious council of the Jews,  the Sanhedrin. On the part of the religious authorities, this death  sentence is a pragmatic means of protecting the status quo. But from  the perspective of God, it signals the arrival of the hour of Jesus —  the supreme act of love by which Jesus and the Father will glorify  one another. This self-sacrificial death will be life-giving because  love transforms death into life. While human beings believe they are  exercising power to get rid of the threat to their security, in truth,  their prideful decisions and actions are being directed toward the  fulfillment of God’s loving design. Not even human sinfulness can  block God from drawing life out of death. 

Lord Jesus, help us to grasp the insight of St. Paul that, “where sin  increased, grace overflowed all the more.” Thank you for the gift oF salvation. Amen.

GOSPEL POWER I APRIL 8, 2022 - FRIDAY

5th Week of Lent

Gospel: Jn 10:31-42 

31The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32Jesus replied, “I have  shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these  are you going to stone me?” 33The Jews answered, “It is not for a  good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because  you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” 34Jesus  answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35If  those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’ – and the  scripture cannot be annulled – 36can you say that the one whom the  Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because  I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37If I am not doing the works of my Father,  then do not believe me. 38But if I do them, even though you do not  believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand  that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39Then they tried to  arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands. 40He went away  again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing  earlier, and he remained there. 41Many came to him, and they were  saying, “John performed no sign, but everything that John said about  this man was true.” 42And many believed in him there. 

Today’s Gospel shows Jesus caught up in the tension of  holding heaven and earth together, for he belongs to both  spheres. He comes from above as God’s ultimate revealer. But  as a human being, he also reveals to us the truth about ourselves — our  divine essence. As the only begotten Son, he opens the way for us to be  God’s children too, sharers of the divine life. In fulfilling this mission  among his own people, Jesus finds stubborn resistance that leads to  hostility and violence. We begin to see with greater clarity what the  evangelist means in the prologue: “He came to what was his own, and  his own people did not accept him.” Jesus leaves the dangerous zone of  Judea temporarily because his hour has not yet come. The stage is now  set for the unfolding of the events of Holy Week. 

Lord Jesus, out of the evil of violence, God’s love will draw the ultimate  good, which is our salvation. Transform us as we ponder this mystery. Amen

GOSPEL POWER I APRIL 10, 2022 - SUNDAY

Passion of Our Lord (Palm Sunday)

Gospel: Lk 22:14–23:56  …

33When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they  crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on  his left. 34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know  what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35And  the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying,  “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God,  his chosen one!” 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and  offering him sour wine, 37and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews,  save yourself!” 38There was also an inscription over him, “This is the  King of the Jews.” 39One of the criminals who were hanged there kept  deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself  and us!” 40But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God,  since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And  we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we  deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then  he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  43He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” 

Can there be a more graphic demonstration of the  teaching “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate  you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse  you” (Lk 6:27-28) than the tortured and crucified Jesus asking  God, his Father, to forgive his aggressors? The cross shocks us, not  because of its violence, but because of its demonstration of utterly  incomprehensible love — which is the revelation of what God truly  is like. Saving love is self-sacrificial. This is the folly of the cross! At  his weakest, while hanging on the cross, Jesus is most powerful, for  he is accomplishing God’s will of saving the world. 

We adore you, O Christ and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Amen.

GOSPEL POWER I APRIL 7, 2022 - THURSDAY

5th Week of Lent

Saint John Baptist de la Salle,  priest

Gospel: Jn 8:51-59 

51Jesus said to the Jews, “Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my  word will never see death.” 52The Jews said to him, “Now we know  that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet  you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ 53Are you  greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died.  Who do you claim to be?” 54Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my  glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you  say, ‘He is our God,’ 55though you do not know him. But I know him;  if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you.  But I do know him and I keep his word. 56Your ancestor Abraham  rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.” 57Then  the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you  seen Abraham?” 58Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before  Abraham was, I am.” 59So they picked up stones to throw at him, but  Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. 

The human mind, unenlightened by faith, cannot make a  connection with God. Prideful human logic leads only  to a dead end. This is what we observe in the conversation  between Jesus and the Jews. They are initially identified as believers,  perhaps because they are drawn by the signs that Jesus has been  performing in their midst. But now, as they pursue purely human  logic, their conversation with Jesus turns sour, then hostile, until  they are driven to act violently against Jesus. Twice Jesus tries to  move their hearts to faith. In yesterday’s Gospel, his invitation was to  remain in his word. In today’s Gospel, he assures them that those who  keep his word will not experience death. But the Jews choose to listen  to their stubborn and prejudiced minds, rather than sense what their  hearts tell them about their experience of Jesus. 

Lord Jesus, the price of our freedom is your death on the cross. Help us  to walk in newness of life. Amen. apri