Lenten Reflection for 3/23
Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Daily Prayer
God of everlasting mercy, You have given us every blessing. Through Your Word You reconcile the human race to Yourself as one family. Make us eager to accept Your invitation to grow. Grant that with prompt devotion and eager faith we may hasten toward the solemn celebrations to come. Amen
Scripture Readings
Ezekiel 37:21-28; John 11:45-56
(Click for today’s Readings.)
Scripture Quote
John 11:51-53
[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.
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?
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.