Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent
The Suffering Servant
Liturgical Cycle: A, B, C | Lectionary Cycle: I, II
Introduction
Men and women who claim to know God a bit and to live consistently as his sons or daughters, are queer and bothersome to unbelievers as well as to those who take their religion as a set of duties or religious rites. There is no place for such eccentrics who go against the current, for their way of life disturbs the established ways of society. It irritates unbelievers and they want to test the faith of those who trust in God. One has to conform or else… The person who voices his plaints in the Book of Wisdom was one of those annoying people. Jesus was another. What about us?
Opening Prayer
Our God and Father,
we claim to be your sons and daughters,
who know that you love us,
and that you call us to live
the life of Jesus, your Son.
Give us the courage
to live this life consistently
not to show off, not to reprove others,
but simply because we know
that you are our Father
and we your sons and daughters,
brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23
R. (19a) The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
He watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
Alleluia Verse
Glory and Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
Glory and Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ
Prayers of the Faithful
– For those who are persecuted for their faith and for their persecutors, we pray:
– For those to whom life seems a burden hard to bear, that they carry their cross with the Lord and find relief and happiness, we pray:
– For those who are challenged because of the good they do, that the Spirit of the Lord may give them the strength to persevere, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
your Son Jesus was rejected
by those whom he came to save.
In this Eucharist he is with us now as our Lord
who died for us but rose again.
May we welcome him with love
and commit ourselves with him
to the good of our neighbor.
May our lives bear witness to him,
that no one may reject him now
on account of us, for we claim him
as our Lord and Savior for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
we pray you especially today
for those whom you send
to bring the good news of your Son to the world.
Give strength to all who have to bear witness
in difficult circumstances,
like your missionaries,
that they may not lose heart
but remain faithful and close to you
and to Jesus Christ
Your Son and our Lord forever.
Blessing
Let our lives bear witness to the Lord, who was persecuted and suffered so that we may have forgiveness and life. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
The Hour
Theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar presents the salvation history as theo-drama, which unfolds in various acts and scenes. Even when a tragic event happens at a given moment, there is lot more to unfold, and we must patiently wait for the climax even as we engage the given moment. In today’s first reading, people are plotting against the protagonist. They have an illusory sense of control. In the gospel, his enemies want to arrest Jesus yet cannot, because “his hour had not yet come.” How liberating would it be, if we truly believed that God is in charge and nothing could happen to us until our appointed time in the theo-drama of history arrived! Nothing would stop us then from living our prophetic vocation fearlessly, living our life of grace in full. How God dies a thousand deaths in us because we are too fearful to venture out of ourselves in defense of truth!
===========
John 7:1-2,10,25-30
The Word of God is not chained
As we draw near to Holy Week, today’s Gospel reminds us of the growing tension surrounding Jesus’ mission. Jesus moves carefully, even secretly, into Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. Despite the threats against Him, Jesus speaks openly in the Temple because the Word of God cannot remain silent.
There are moments in life when silence is wisdom. Jesus Himself remained silent before His accusers during His Passion. But when it was time to proclaim truth and invite people into the light, He spoke boldly. This is what we see in today’s Gospel. People were confused about Jesus—they thought they knew him, but they did not understand His true origins. They judged by appearances, not by truth.
In today’s world, there remains confusion about the true identity of Jesus. Many assert theyknow Him but lack genuine belief. To truly understand Jesus, we needto revisit the Scriptures, engage with them through reading and prayer, and let His Word speak within our hearts.
Lent offers a sacred chance to deepen our connection with the living Word. Reflecting on the suffering Jesus faced, we also recognise the struggles Christians endure today—some experience intense persecution, while others face minor daily challenges and misunderstandings stemming from their faith in the Gospel. In all of this, we are called to remain faithful witnesses, sometimes speaking with courage, and sometimes remaining silent, entrusting everything to God.
Lord Jesus, help us to know You more deeply and to bear witness to Your truth in our lives. May Your Word live in us and through us. Amen.