Daily Gospel Reflection
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April 3, 2019
Jesus answered the Jews:
“My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.”
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him,
because he not only broke the sabbath
but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God.
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own,
but only what he sees the Father doing;
for what he does, the Son will do also.
For the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything that he himself does,
and he will show him greater works than these,
so that you may be amazed.
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,
so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.
Nor does the Father judge anyone,
but he has given all judgment to the Son,
so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
Whoever does not honor the Son
does not honor the Father who sent him.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word
and believes in the one who sent me
has eternal life and will not come to condemnation,
but has passed from death to life.
Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and those who hear will live.
For just as the Father has life in himself,
so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself.
And he gave him power to exercise judgment,
because he is the Son of Man.
Do not be amazed at this,
because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs
will hear his voice and will come out,
those who have done good deeds
to the resurrection of life,
but those who have done wicked deeds
to the resurrection of condemnation.
“I cannot do anything on my own;
I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just,
because I do not seek my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.”
Many years ago, when I was a young and inexperienced nurse and my husband and I were newlyweds, he was stationed at an Air Force base in West Texas. I was none too thrilled to be in this town. I had grown up and attended college in New England, and my vision for the first step in my planned stellar career was more world-class medical center than small Texas town. Nevertheless, I accepted a staff position in the local hospital’s Labor and Delivery unit.
On my first day, I was introduced to my preceptor. Betty was a tall, rangy nurse from far West Texas. She had married young, raised a family in poverty, and then returned to school to become a nurse. She spoke with a twang I could barely understand and peppered her instructions with colloquialisms that were both hilarious and mysterious to my Yankee ears. Arrogantly, I wondered what Betty could teach me.
Betty, however, was a crackerjack nurse. She could anticipate a developing emergency with a sixth sense. She could efficiently manage a dire situation in one room and gently rejoice with an excited new family in the next. Betty taught me more about being a labor and delivery nurse than any textbook or seminar. She worked tirelessly for her patients and, through her example, taught me to do the same.
In the Gospel passage today, Jesus tells us that the Father and the Son are always working together, in an unbreakable union. At one with the Father, the Son cooperates with the work of the father in every way. As we hear the words of eternal life from Christ and cling to his promises, we are called first to humble gratitude. We are then called to cooperate, in turn, tirelessly bringing Christ to all.
Prayer
Tender and merciful God, in the intimate love between you and Jesus, your Son, we see the divine friendship we are called to share. Pour forth your Spirit upon us to draw us into your love ever more fully. We make our prayer through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Saint of the Day
In 303, Emperor Diocletian outlawed the possession of sacred Scripture. Three Christian sisters living in Thessalonica at the time—Agape, Chionia, and Irene—concealed the several volumes of Scripture that they owned.
Later, the three were arrested for refusing to eat food sacrificed to Roman gods. When they were taken, their house was searched and the Scriptures discovered. Agape and Chionia were martyred first, and when Irene was commanded to deny her faith, she, too, was condemned to die. She was exposed in a house of prostitution first, but when she remained untouched, she was killed. It is thought that she was killed with arrows, which she shows in this illustration.
The relics of St. Irene rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Notre Dame's campus.
St. Irene, who, with your sisters, gave your life for love of Scripture—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Irene is an illustration by Notre Dame alumnus Matthew Alderman '06, who holds exclusive rights to the further distribution and publication of his art. Used here with permission.