Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: April 3, 2025

Thursday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text: John 5:31-47

Jesus said to the Jews:

"If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true. But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true. You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth. I do not accept human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light. But I have testimony greater than John's. The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf. But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form, and you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf. But you do not want to come to me to have life.

"I do not accept human praise; moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you. I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father: the one who will accuse you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, because he wrote about me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?"

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel reading for today is part of Jesus’ response to his critic following his healing of an ill man on the Sabbath. In today’s text, Jesus speaks of the Father giving testimony on His behalf (“This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased” – Matthew 3:17) as well as the scriptures prophesizing His coming.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Who do I say Jesus is? What difference does it make?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, You sent your beloved Son, Christ, to dwell among us, taking on our human nature, revealing You and your great love for us through His teaching, His miracles, and His selflessly giving Himself to atone for our sins though He was without sin. Send your Spirit to stir within us, to illuminate our minds, to tenderize our hearts, and to soften our wills and make them receptive to Your will. Grant that our faith in Christ and the salvation He won for us will lovingly lead us to choose your will for each of us, to work to become the ones You created us to be and that He calls us to be. May our belief in your beloved Son increase daily as we seek to follow in His footsteps. We ask this in the name of your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Spirit, one LORD, forever and ever. Amen.