💖 HOMILY - MARCH 13 💖

First Reading - Isaiah 49:8-15

Second Reading - John 5:17-30

We are all God's children. This is to say, we have our beginning in God and we return to Him. The readings of today invite us to mediate on the motherly care of God that He shows to us while we are here on this earth and to His care, our response to Him is to be as obedient children.

This reading shows us the promise of the saving work of the God. God showcases His motherly concern for the suffering people. Writing at the last moments of the Babylonian Exile, the prophet perceives the LORD bringing back his people from Babylon to Zion (homeland). The prophet foretells that the return of the people from the exile will no longer be that of the first one (from Egypt to the promised land) plagued by thirst, scorching wind and sun, but grazing on every hilltop beside springs of water. This is a joyful message of consolation. It is finally sealed by the precious guarantee of the certainty and tenderness of God’s love, the love of a mother for her baby: if a mother were to forget the baby at her breast, even so ‘I shall not forget you’. At the same time as the message of consolation for God’s Chosen People of Israel, it is a message of promise for the whole world.

Today’s Gospel passage gives Jesus’ explanation vindicating himself when he has been accused by the Jews of breaking the Sabbath by healing on that day, and of being a blasphemer, by claiming, as God’s Son, equality with God and the same authority and power as God. In general, Jesus claims that he is one with the Father in all he does as Mediator, and that there is a perfect understanding between him and his Father in the whole matter. But, at the same time, he is obedient, and so entirely devoted to his Father’s will that it is impossible for him to act separately from his Father in anything. Thus, Jesus claims that his identity with the Father is made visible in his complete obedience: Jesus always does what his Father wants him to do. Then Jesus proves his equality with the Father by doing same works that are exclusively the works of God Who is his Father. For example, it is God’s prerogative to raise the dead, and give life, and Jesus exercises these prerogatives. Jesus has received Divine power from the Father to exercise His judgment and authority over life and death. That is why Jesus’ words bring healing and life to those who believe in the One Who sent him, and condemnation to those who do not. At the last judgment, all who have heard Jesus’ voice and obeyed his word will be raised to eternal life.

Dear friends, the first reading reminds us that as children of God, we enjoy special privileges from God. He shows his tender love to us. God's tender love is vividly manifested in His care for each one of us; from the beginning of the day to the close of the day, we are under the special care of God's tender love like a mother. He never deserts us in our miseries or hardships but cares for us so tenderly. Let's never distance ourselves from the motherly care of God.

As children of God and as true Christian, we need to know that our life finds its true identity by the surrender of our lives to God with the same love and obedience which Jesus demonstrated for his Father. Jesus claims that his life revolves around the Father. It's by giving obedience to the Father, Jesus draws his identity as the son. We are also sons and daughters of God and it's by doing what God wants from us we become faithful children of God. 

Let's pray that we may try to remain faithful children of God by obeying God's will in our lives.