"Seek the mind and will of God in all things and your whole being will be drawn into greater unity with God."

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

Isaiah 49:8-15*

 This is what Yahweh says:

“At a favorable time I have answered you, on the day of salvation I have been your help; I have formed you and made you to be my covenant with the people.(….)

 They will feed along the road; they will find pasture on barren hills. They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the scorching wind or the sun beat upon them; for he who has mercy on them will guide them and lead them to springs of water.(…..)

 Can a woman forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child of her womb?  Yet though she forget, I will never forget you.

 

Ps 145:8-9, 13cd-14, 17-18

The Lord is gracious and merciful.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊   

John 5:17-30

Jesus replied, "My Father goes on working and so do I." And the Jews tried all the harder to kill him, for Jesus not only broke the Sabbath observance, but also made himself equal with God, calling God his own Father.

Jesus said to them, "Truly, I assure you, the Son cannot do anything by himself, but only what he sees the Father do. And whatever he does, the Son also does. The Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does; and he will show him even greater things than these, so that you will be amazed.

As the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son gives life to whom he wills. In the same way, the Father judges no one, for he has entrusted all judgment to the Son, and wants all to honor the Son, as they honor the Father. Whoever ignores the Son, ignores as well the Father who sent him.

Truly, I say to you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; and there is no judgment for him, because he has passed from death to life. Truly, the hour is coming and has indeed come, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and, on hearing it, will live.

For the Father has life in himself, and he has given to the Son also to have life in himself. And he has empowered him as well to carry out Judgment, for he is Son of Man.

Do not be surprised at this: the hour is coming when all those lying in tombs will hear my voice and come out; those who have done good shall rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. I can do nothing of myself. As I hear, so I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Profiling God

Both the readings put together, we have a beautiful profile of God, with both the maternal and the paternal in God. Through Isaiah, God speaks as a Mother – the one who nurses us at her breast, comforts, takes pity on us, thinks of us always.

In the Gospel Jesus speaks of God as the Father – the one who, out of love for the son, models behavior for the son, teaches him how to do things, delegates, empowers, wants the son to take over responsibilities; who delights when others honor his son.

And, in Jesus, we have the perfect profile of a son/daughter, who delights in being loved; who loves, respects, obeys, learns from the Father, and gives him honor for everything one has received. Jesus has such a secure attachment to the Father that he is eager to share with us his sonship so that his Father will be our Father as well.