Friday of the Fourth Week

Reflection

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.” This refrain in today’s Psalm 34 offers us hope and consolation on our Lenten Journey. Who of us has not had times of feeling brokenhearted and crushed in spirit? Perhaps we experienced a serious illness or faced losses of many kinds, e.g. death of a loved one, changes in relationships. Our daily news confronts us with violent happenings in our world and the killing of many innocent people. We may cry out in anguish, and the psalmist assures us that God hears us.

We notice in countless encounters Jesus had with people his love and compassion. Those crushed in spirit listened to him and experienced his healing presence in their lives. They knew in their hearts that Jesus was from God and of God. In our Gospel today, although a risky journey, Jesus goes to Jerusalem to celebrate the Grape Harvest, the Feast of Tabernacles. But not all gathered believed Jesus was of God and were interested in getting rid of him. “Their wickedness blinded them.” A premonition of their action is found in our reading today from the Book of Wisdom. “They tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his time had not come.”

Today’s readings invite us to reflect on our blindness at times. Do we make time in prayer to listen as well as express our brokenness with God? Can we trust God’s response that often comes in surprising ways in our lives? Can we trust that God is with us on our journey through life in its most challenging times?

Prayer

May I be awake with eyes wide open to your loving, compassionate presence as I face broken heartedness in my life. Amen.

Sr. Ann Duhaime, RSM, Member of Worshipping Community

Scripture

First Reading: Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22

Psalm 34:17-21, 23

Gospel: John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website