First reading Jeremiah 20:10-13
He has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men
Jeremiah said:
I hear so many disparaging me,
‘“Terror from every side!”
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’
All those who used to be my friends
watched for my downfall,
‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error.
Then we will master him
and take our revenge!’
But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;
my opponents will stumble, mastered,
confounded by their failure;
everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.
But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,
who scrutinise the loins and heart,
let me see the vengeance you will take on them,
for I have committed my cause to you.
Sing to the Lord,
praise the Lord,
for he has delivered the soul of the needy
from the hands of evil men.
Responsorial Psalm 17(18):2-7
In my anguish I called to the Lord, and he heard my voice.
I love you, Lord, my strength,
my rock, my fortress, my saviour.
My God is the rock where I take refuge;
my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.
The Lord is worthy of all praise,
when I call I am saved from my foes.
The waves of death rose about me;
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
the snares of the grave entangled me;
the traps of death confronted me.
In my anguish I called to the Lord;
I cried to God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
Gospel John 10:31-42
They wanted to stone Jesus, but he eluded them
The Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.’ Jesus answered:
‘Is it not written in your Law:
I said, you are gods?
So the Law uses the word gods
of those to whom the word of God was addressed,
and scripture cannot be rejected.
Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world,
“You are blaspheming,”
because he says, “I am the son of God.”
If I am not doing my Father’s work,
there is no need to believe me;
but if I am doing it,
then even if you refuse to believe in me,
at least believe in the work I do;
then you will know for sure
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’
They wanted to arrest him then, but he eluded them.
He went back again to the far side of the Jordan to stay in the district where John had once been baptising. Many people who came to him there said, ‘John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true’; and many of them believed in him.
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Words and actions
In today’s gospel, Jesus makes a strong statement: “…you will know for sure that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” This declaration shows the close unity between Jesus and God the Father, highlighting their important relationship that supports His authority and mission. The Jewish leaders see this as a claim that makes Jesus equal to God, which angers them. Even though their hearts are hard, Jesus asks them to judge Him by both His words and His actions.
As Christians, we are called to let our words and actions truly reflect the authenticity of our faith. Every deed, every gesture, and every word should clearly convey the communion of love we have with God. While the Jewish leaders choose not to believe in Jesus or His works, the simple folk across the Jordan witness His miracles, and many believe Him. Today, may we strive to have our lives express the depth of our faith.
Reflective question:
What are some ways I can put my faith into action today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
