Trusting in God

Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday, 5th Week of Lent, Year B, March 26th, 2021

Texts: Jer. 20:10-13; Ps. Ps. 18: 1-6; John 10:31-42
The life of Jeremiah confirms the words of Sirach: "My child, if you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal. Be sincere of heart, be steadfast, and do not be alarmed when disaster comes (2:1-2). Serving the Lord is not a bed of roses; it requires courage; courage to stand firm in time of  persecution; we need courage to withstand adversity and disaster. History has testified to it and it is still the truth now that those whom  you serve will even turn against you. Jeremiah recounted his own experience thus: "I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! 'Denounce him! Let us denounce him!' say all my familiar friends, watching for my fall. 'Perhaps he will be deceived, then we can overcome him, and take our revenge on him'.”  This problem is not about serving the Lord alone but also experienced by those who are virtuous. There is always price to pay for being virtuous and for serving the Lord.
However, Jeremiah was able to pass through the ordeal because he had firm trust in God. Tough time will definitely comes, but by putting our trust in God, we shall have peace and calmness of the soul. When we put our trust in God, we will not be scared. Put differently, in time of persecution and adversity, we shall live by faith. Let us trust in the Lord always.
The first reading helps us to understand the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is  passing through trauma now; He is now witnessing the effect of man's cold heart; heart that refuses to accept His word; heart in whom His word has no place to dwell. Some people are now conspiring against  the Lord. Wherever He turns now He feels man's ingratitude. Hence, in the gospel, He  says, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?” He is passing through all this for you and for me. He is charged for saying the truth that He is the Son of God. He says, " If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and Scripture cannot be nullified), do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?" Truth comes to us sometimes in a way that is difficult to believe. However, Jesus has shown by words and deeds that He is divine. Hence, He says, "If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”  By His words and deeds we have no excuse not to believe in Him, for those words and deeds are foretold beforehand as proper to the Messiah, the Son of God.  Some people witnessed them and believed in Him. It is said, "And many came to him; and they said, 'John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.' And many believed in him there." This reminds us that we have no excuse not to believe in Jesus Christ. This tells  us  that the people who conspired against Jesus had no reason to do so. They conspired against Jesus because they had hardened their hearts. Let us not  harden our hearts that we might know the truth and it will set us free. The gospel shows that God never abandons His own; Jesus escaped the people's evil plan.

Lord our God, help us to stand firm in you and never go astray any more.  Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke