Friday of the fifth week of Lent

Invitation

May I draw your attention to:
the daily reading of the Gospel?

This invitation aims to share with you the joy of the Gospel. Everyone, without exception,
can experience that joy by opening their hearts
to the healing power of God’s word.

Available every day

Consideration:
The two readings are closely linked and the atmosphere of Holy Week is clearly present: “dismay everywhere”; “we are bringing Him.” The Gospel picks up on this: “The Jews picked up stones to stone Jesus.” The threat builds to a crescendo and Jesus withdraws across the Jordan. This is geographically significant. The region of Perea is safer for Jesus. But John also gives it a symbolic meaning. That is where it all began with the ministry of John the Baptist. That was also where the question of the Messiah arose.
It is as if Jesus is making a pilgrimage to that place, before accomplishing everything.

FIRST READING                     Jer. 20, 10-13

From the Prophet Jeremiah

I hear many whispering:
“There is terror—everywhere.”
Bring him on, yes, we will bring him on.
All my friends want nothing more
than to bring me down.
They say:
Perhaps he will be led astray,
then we will overpower him
and take our revenge on him.
The Lord God is with me as a mighty warrior.
My pursuers fall down; they shall not prevail.
They are deeply put to shame; they shall never succeed.
Their shame shall last for ever; it shall never be forgotten!
God of the heavenly hosts,
who examines all things justly,
who searches hearts and minds,
let me see how You take vengeance on them.
For I have placed my cause in your hands.
Sing a song, a song of praise to the Lord your God,
for He has saved the life of the poor
from the power of the wicked.

INTERLUDIUM                          Ps. 18(17), 2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7

I turned to the Lord in my distress,
his ear was attentive to my cries for help.

Lord, I love you; you are my strength,
my refuge, my fortress, my deliverer.
My God, the rock in whom I take refuge.

My shield, my salvation, my protection.
When I call upon the Lord, blessed be He,
no enemy can harm me.

For waves of mortal danger surrounded me,
a torrent of calamity filled me with dread.
The net of the grave held me captive,
the snare of death was already around me.

Then I turned to the Lord in my distress;
and I called upon my God for help.
He heard my voice in his high palace,
his ear caught my cries for help.

VERSES BEFORE THE GOSPEL                   Lk. 15, 18

I will go back to my father,
and I will say to him:
Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.

GOSPEL                       John 10, 31-42

The Jews tried once more to seize Jesus, but He eluded them.

From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
John;

At that time, the Jews picked up stones to stone Jesus.
But Jesus said to them:
“I have performed many good works before your eyes,
which come from the Father;
for which of these works do you wish to stone Me?”
The Jews answered Him:
“We do not stone You for a good work,
but for blasphemy:
that You, a man, make Yourself God.”
Jesus answered them:
“Is it not written in your Law:
‘I have said: You are gods’?
“She has called those to whom the word of God was addressed
gods,
and Scripture is binding.
“But why then do you accuse Me,
who was sanctified by the Father and sent into the world,
of blasphemy when I call Myself the Son of God?
“If I do not do the works of My Father,
you need not believe Me,
but if I do them,
believe the works even if you do not believe Me.
“Then you will see and acknowledge,
that the Father is in Me and I am in the Father.”

Then they tried again to seize Him,
but He eluded them.
He went back to the other side of the Jordan,
to the place where John had first been baptising,
and remained there.
Many came to Him, for they said:
“John did indeed perform no sign,
but everything he said about this man was true.”
And many began to believe in Him there.

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