Genesis 17:3-9 / John 8:51-59
Jesus speaks about himself: “Before Abraham
came to be, I AM.”
The
unusual verbal formula “I AM” without a predicate is
found often in John (e.g., 6:20; 8:24, 28, 58). It is also found in the synoptics (e.g., Mark 14:62, Matthew
14:27). The formula is the same one that Yahweh used to identify himself in a
solemn, revelatory way in the Old Testament (e.g.,
Exodus 3:6,14; 20:2). Use of the formula places Jesus on a par with Yahweh
himself.
It
is a striking affirmation of Jesus’ divinity. And the Jews understood it this
way, for they “picked up stones to throw at [Jesus].” They regarded what he
said as blasphemy. (Lev 24:16)
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What
convinces us most that Jesus is, indeed, the Son of God,
in
the fullest sense of the word?
***
“I
am amazed by the sayings of Jesus....And they certainly turn the world upside
down.” Katharine Butler Hathaway
****
As we read
today's gospel and if we remember what were the gospel passages for this week,
we may get a certain feeling of frustration. Because it can be quite
frustrating to hear the "Jews" (as the gospel called them) always
getting into an argument with Jesus. Yet, it must also be said that the
"Jews" themselves were frustrated too because they just could not
understand what Jesus was talking about. There was this underlying frustration
of not understanding as well as misunderstanding. It was this frustration that
led them to throw stones at Jesus, and the frustration boiled over to become a
hatred that eventually made them to nail Jesus to the cross.
As we come to
the 5th week of Lent, we too might be having some feelings of frustration. We
might have felt that Lent had passed too quickly, that we have not done
anything spiritually worthy till now, and that we do not have any
"feeling" for Lent.
So, we may be frustrated and
disappointed with ourselves for having a fruitless Lent and that we have not
done anything much for God. Yet let us take heart in the 1st reading. It is not
so much what we can do for God but rather what God has done for us.
Through Abraham, God has made a
Covenant with us in perpetuity and Jesus is the expression of this covenant.
Jesus is the "I AM". And no matter what we have not done, God
will still be our God and we will still be His people. Let us take consolation
in that and keep faithful to Jesus for the rest of Lent.
****
LITURGY
Introduction
Our communion with God, our
salvation, depends on faith. God makes to us his offer of a covenant; we have
to trust the word of God. Abraham believed God’s word and his faith changed the
destiny of himself (hence the new name) and of his people. Many Jews did not
believe and cut themselves off from their ancestor and from God’s new people.
God speaks to us his Word, who is a person: Jesus Christ. If we believe in him,
we become the new people of the new covenant by baptism, and the Promised Land
will be ours.
Penitential Rite
-You tell us: Look to the
LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly, but we served other gods,
LHM
-You remind us: we are
descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, we are his chosen ones,
but we acted as strangers and outsiders, CHM
-You ask us to recall the
wondrous deeds that he has done in our lives, but we have forgotten them and
been ungrateful, LHM
Opening Prayer
God of Abraham
and God of Jesus Christ, our examples of faith and fidelity, your word rouses
our obedience. By your grace we risk our lives for your promise. As you confirm
us in faith again, may we know the peace of faith and obedience. May our trust be the foretaste and promise of
the life we shall have in you and may we already know the blessing of your love
even today.
Commentary:
Abram and his descendants
live in covenant with God and their part is to keep that covenant-obey God.
Jesus is arguing with the people who reject him and are intent on killing him.
They are misreading him and are not hearing anything he says-they have already
decided what they are going to do. But Jesus is truthful and tells them if
anyone is true to his word they shall never see death. This is Jesus'
proclamation to us as we draw near to Holy Week and our own dying to evil and
violence and what is not truth. Jesus is life-life forever-and is God, from the
beginning. In John's gospel, developed around the year 100 AD, the community is
declaring Jesus as God (not the emperor) knowing that they too may face death
for believing in Jesus and worshipping only Jesus. They seek to kill him. Not
today. But the day will come when sin and evil, when violence and injustice
will be the choice of people-as it still is today. Do we keep God's covenant
with us in Jesus and refuse to harm anyone? Do we obey and stand with the Truth
that is Jesus?
– Jesus, you
who are, we pray for those who cannot believe in you. Let them be people who
follow their conscience, we pray:
– Jesus, you
who are, gave us the grace to believe in your word and also to keep it in our
daily living, we pray:
– Jesus, you
who are, we pray that the Jewish people may come closer to us through their
fidelity to the covenant you made with Abraham, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord God, you speak your
living Word in our midst, your Son Jesus Christ. Give us faith, a strong faith,
that we may believe in his presence among us and that we may be his presence in
the world of today. Give us a bit of his Spirit that people may accept him in
us, for is our Lord for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God, in days when
life looks drab and when we get impatient with ourselves, we have a hard time
to realize that your Son is present in our midst. Give us a trusting faith that
he is here for us and with us, to lift us above ourselves and to give us hope
in your future. Make us deeply aware that you have bound yourself to us and
share our destiny through Jesus Christ our Lord.
"Lord, let your word be on my
lips and in my heart that I may walk in the freedom of your truth and
love."
Points to Ponder
The covenant with Abraham
Jesus the I AM
The new covenant of the heart.
Blessing
May we keep the Lord’s word not only in our minds but also in our deeds, that we may enjoy eternal life, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
May we keep the Lord’s word not only in our minds but also in our deeds, that we may enjoy eternal life, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
