John 5:17-30 "My Father goes on working, and so do I."

MAGNIFICAT www.magnificat.com

Community Eucharist:

This morning the Abbot read the riveting passage - every word of a long Gospel.

A commentary by Benedict xvi is a glimpse of his insight.

MASS

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

"The Lord consoles his people and takes pity on those who are afflicted." The Lord assures us, "I will never forget you." "The Lord supports all who fall." It is for us simply to ''call on him from [our] hearts." For "the Son gives life to anyone he chooses."

A reading from                                           '

the holy Gospel according to John   5: 17-30

JESUS SAID TO THE JEWS, "My Father goes on working, and so do I." But that only made them even more intent on killing him, because, not content with breaking the ...

The Father at Work
by POPE BENEDICT XVI

Father - with this word I express my certainty that someone is there who hears me, who never leaves me alone, who is always present. I express my certainty that God, despite the infinite difference between him and me, is such that I can speak to him, may even address him familiarly as "thou" (German du).

His greatness does not overwhelm me, does not reject me as insignificant and unimportant. Certainly I am subject to him as a child is subject to his father, yet there is such a fundamental similarity and likeness between him and me, yes, I am so important to him, I belong so closely to him, that I can rightly address him as "Father".

My being born is not a mistake, then, but a grace. It is good to live even though I do not always perceive it. I am wanted; not a child of chance or necessity, but of choice and free­dom.

Therefore I shall also have a purpose in life; there will always be a meaning for me, a task designed just for me, there is a conception of me that I can seek and find and fulfil. When the school of life becomes unbearably hard, when I would like to cry out as Job did, as the psalmist did - then I can transform this cry into the word "Father" and the cry will gradually become a word, a reminder to trust, because from the Father's perspective it is clear that my distress, yes, my agony, is part of the greater love for which I give thanks.

His Holiness Benedict XVI was elected to the See of Saint Peter in 2005.

Benedict XVI (Pope)

From Co-Workers of tile Truth: Meditations for Every Day of the Year, Sr.lrene Grassl, Ed .• Sr. Mary Frances McCarthy, S.N.D., & Rev. Lothar Krauth, Trs. C 1992, lgnatius Press, San Francisco, CA. wwwignatius.com.

Used with permission.