Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice  (Psalm 18). 

The experience of the prophet Jeremiah is similar to the experience of Jesus in today’s readings. Both Jeremiah and Jesus suffered rejection from their own, and both professed total trust in God during those difficult moments. Our psalm today states in a confident way, that the Lord will keep His faithfulness, as the Lord did not abandon His own in the past.

Jesus is reaching the summit of his revelation in today’s Gospel passage. Now he affirms openly that he is God and that his followers will be like gods because they are children of God. These statements question all injustices in the world, all the abuses of wealth and power. These injustices are at the core of our faith, a faith that calls us to evangelize and liberate the outcast and persecuted. That is why Christ was, and is, persecuted until the very end.

The great orchestral conductor Herbert von Karajan said: The art of conducting consists in knowing when to abandon the podium in order not to disturb the orchestra. Jesus escaped from the power of the Jewish leaders when he faced their hardness of heart. Sometimes it is better to retire in conflictive situations for our own psychological health, and in order to respect the freedom of choice of others in conflict with us and let them reflect on their thoughts and actions. At the same time, this retreat should be accompanied by fidelity to our values. Jesus went back to the Jordan area, and many followed him and believed in his testimony.

Lord, I trust in you. You are the fortress where I defend myself from life’s difficulties. You are my defender. Thank you because you are not a fortress that hinders my growth. You protect me and send me to face life, giving me strength and showing my weaknesses. I thank you for your kindness and protection. Thank you for being my Lord and God.