Daily Readings for March 14, 2018

1ST READING

The image of a pregnant woman, cradling in her hands the womb that holds her child, is a powerful one. It evokes a deep sense of knowing, feeling, and experiencing a miracle within you. This shows how attentive God is to us. In the reading from Isaiah, God promises: “Even if a mother forgets her child He will not forget us.” Let us reflect on this promise especially during the times we doubt His love for us.

Isaiah 49:8-15

8 Thus says the Lord: In a time of favor I answer you, on the day of salvation I help you, to restore the land and allot the desolate heritages, 9 saying to the prisoners: Come out! To those in darkness: Show yourselves! Along the ways they shall find pasture, on every bare height shall their pastures be. 10 They shall not hunger or thirst, nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them; for he who pities them leads them and guides them beside springs of water. 11 I will cut a road through all my mountains, and make my highways level. 12 See, some shall come from afar, others from the north and the west, and some from the land of Syene. 13 Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, break forth into song, you mountains. For the Lord comforts his people and shows mercy to his afflicted. 14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.” 15 Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.

P S A L M

Psalm 145:8-9, 13-14, 17-18

R: The Lord is gracious and merciful.

8 The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. 9 The Lord is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. (R) 13 The Lord is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. 14 The Lord lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. (R) 17 The Lord is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. (R)

  

GOSPEL

Jesus admits to not being able to do anything on His own. This is a beautiful image of the closeness of Father and Son and their deep relationship that we are also called to share in. Their unity in love is motivation for us to keep persevering in the way of the Lord. Don’t we all want to share in their unity?

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me will never die.

John 5:17-30

17 Jesus answered the Jews, “My Father is at work until now so I am at work.” 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, the son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his Father doing; for what he does, the son will do also. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. 22 Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to his Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. 25 Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to his Son the possession of life in himself. 27 And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. 30 “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”