Lenten Reflection for 4/1

Fifth Saturday of Lent

Daily Prayer

God of everlasting mercy, who has given us every blessing, increase the grace you have bestowed so that all may know in what font they have been washed, by whose Spirit they have been reborn, by whose blood they have been redeemed.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Scripture Readings

Ezekiel 37:21-28; John 11:45-56
(Click for today’s Readings.)

Scripture Quote

John 11:51-52

[Caiaphas] prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
So from that day on they planned to kill him.

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Reflection

Caiaphas believed it was better to have Jesus killed, innocent or not, to prevent Him from stirring up the anger of Rome against the Jewish people.

Unwittingly, Caiaphas has summarized the reason Jesus came to be a sacrifice. In short, it was so that one single perfect sacrifice could save countless souls (Romans 5:12–17; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

The salvation accomplished through Jesus’ death applies to the entire world of those who accept Him (Galatians 3:28; Matthew 28:19).

Reflection Questions

• How can I reflect today on the depth of God’s love for me?
• In what ways can my actions today be life-giving for the people around me?

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Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner.