Update Tuesday Fifth Week Lent 2012

Scripture readings for today's Mass are here

which includes one of the "I AM" sayings of Jesus from John's Gospel.

My reflections from 2011 which contain "I AM" verses from Thursday's Gospel from St John are here.

Refrain from Today's Psalm 102 is:
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you.

The beautiful Taize Chant Oh Lord Hear My Prayer.

(Check out my side bar for other Taize chants/videos for Holy Week.)





Oh Lord hear my prayer
Oh Lord hear my prayer
when I call answer me
Oh Lord hear my prayer
Oh Lord hear my prayer
came and listen to me



 
                                                                     Mosaic Jesus
                                                     Click on image for larger version

Gospel : John 8 :21-30


Jesus said to the Pharisees:
"I am going away and you will look for me,
but you will die in your sin.
Where I am going you cannot come."

So the Jews said,
"He is not going to kill himself, is he,
because he said, 'Where I am going you cannot come'?"

He said to them, "You belong to what is below,
I belong to what is above.
You belong to this world,
but I do not belong to this world.

That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.
For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins."

So they said to him, "Who are you?"

Jesus said to them, "What I told you from the beginning.
I have much to say about you in condemnation.
But the one who sent me is true,
and what I heard from him I tell the world."

They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father.

So Jesus said to them,
"When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me.

The one who sent me is with me.
He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him."


Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.


 

                                                                        Images of Jesus


Just after completing this post I logged onto the excellent Ignatian Prayer Adventure Week Six site which I have been following this Lent and came across this great post from Vinita Hampton Wright which nicely complement the images above and the I AM sayings for this Tuesday's Gospel. Thanks Vinita !

Vinita writes :
 "Each person comes from a unique background, family, culture, and time, and so no two people will perceive Jesus in quite the same way. From the New Testament accounts of him we can relate to Jesus in various ways. Like each of us, Jesus’ personality was multifaceted, and he played many roles in one life. 

Vinita asks us to consider these various aspects of Jesus below and then adds some questions for reflection.....

(and as I work through them myself, I recall the phrase Jesus asked his disciples "Who Do You Say I Am ?"
  • Wisdom figure / sage: he gives us the Sermon on the Mount.
  • Radical / activist: he clears the Temple; breaks religious rules to help others; interacts with women, lepers, and others on the margins or without power.
  • Healer / exorcist: he heals many people and casts out many demons.
  • Prophet: he tells the painful truth, even to leaders—“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees.”
  • Master of debate: he avoids being trapped in argument—“Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.”
  • Teacher: he teaches through parables, storytelling, and example.
  • Messiah: he proclaims, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
  • Friend: he says to his disciples (and to us) “I call you my friends.”
  • Mystic / shaman: he is able to manipulate physical elements (calms the storm) and exist between space and time in mystical union with Moses and Jeremiah (transfiguration).
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

What aspect of Jesus do you relate to best, or with the most comfort? 
Why do you think this is so?
What aspect of Jesus do you relate to least, or makes you least comfortable? Why do you think this is so?

My own response...

For my own part I love everything Jesus is in this list.

It's my response to his death that is the problem. 
I still do not fully understand why Christ had to die in the way he did. 
I also know I just need to accept it .... it's like love and death- two things we all need to  surrender to !

But then I do believe in the Resurrection and I believe in the Living Eucharist .

This song says all I hope and hold onto  ....... that He makes ALL things new.
and I love this man's smile !!


All Things New
Andrew Peterson


How about you ???

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