Patrick Comerford
This week began with the Fourth Sunday in Lent (Lent IV) and Mothering Sunday. I have another appointment in Milton Keynes University Hospital later this afternoon in the Cardiology Department. But, before today begins, I am taking some quiet time this morning to give thanks, to reflect, to pray and to read in these ways:
1, reading today’s Gospel reading;
2, a short reflection;
3, a prayer from the USPG prayer diary;
4, the Collects and Post-Communion prayer of the day.
John 5: 31-47 (NRSVA):
[Jesus said:] 31 ‘If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. 33 You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent.
39 ‘You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to have life. 41 I do not accept glory from human beings. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?’
Today’s Reflection:
In the Gospel at the Eucharist today (John 5: 31-47) we continue with this week’s discussion between Jesus and the religious leaders of the day.
In four ways in this reading, John’s Gospel reaffirms that God himself is the witness to the truth of all that Christ says:
1, The testimony of John the Baptist gives witness, although that was only human testimony (verses 33-34).
2, The works of Jesus give clear testimony of the divine origin of all that Jesus does: ‘The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me’ (verse 36).
The religious leaders who confront Jesus could not see this, but the crowds often testify to it with enthusiasm (verse 36).
3, God the Father himself has given testimony, although that has not been seen directly by some of the people: ‘And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form …’ (verse 37).
Perhaps this is a reference to Christ’s baptism by John the Baptist, or to the Transfiguration.
4, A careful reading of the Scriptures will show they give testimony to Jesus: ‘You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to have life’ (verses 39-40).
This is clearly shown later on when Jesus explains the Scriptures to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13-35 ).
I know and know of so many people and churches who describe themselves as ‘Bible-believing’, reading and searching the scriptures to support what they claim are ‘conservative Christian value’, concentrating on eternal life and on who is and who is not saved. Yet they do not offer messages that of hope and of life to people who are on the margins, rejected, oppressed and dealing every day with prejudice. Would Jesus say those churches and their supporters today: ‘But I know that you do not have the love of God in you’ (verse 42)?
But Jesus tells them he will not accuse them before his Father. Moses, in whom they claim to believe, will be their accuser: ‘If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?’ (verse 46-47).
By Moses, he means the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch. Jesus suggests his interlocutors are what we might call today Biblical fundamentalists. They can quote from Scripture, but they fail to live it out in their lives: ‘But I know that you do not have the love of God in you’ (verse 42).
Donald Trump recently set up a task force to ‘eradicate anti-Christian bias’ in the US and to prosecute instances of ‘anti-Christian violence and vandalism.’ As if the values and pronouncements of his administration were not enough evidence of ‘anti-Christian bias’ that needs to be eradicated, a report published by in the past week by four prominent Catholic and evangelical organisations claims that around 1 in 12 Christians in the US are vulnerable to deportation or live with a family member who could be deported by the Trump administration.
Perhaps the ‘Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias’ should begin its work by looking at the way Christians living in the US are suffering as a result of biased, capricious decisions by Trump and Musk.
In their unquestioning adulation of Trump, perhaps some American evangelicals might also consider the challenge: ‘How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God?’ (verse 44).
Today’s Prayers (Thursday 3 April 2025):
The theme this week in ‘Pray With the World Church’, the Prayer Diary of the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel), is ‘Inspiration of the Holy Spirit.’ This theme was introduced on Sunday with Reflections by the Revd Rock Higgins, Rector of Saint James the Less Episcopal Church, Ashland, Virginia, and the Triangle of Hope Youth Pilgrimage Lead for the Diocese of Virginia.
The USPG Prayer Diary today (Thursday 3 April 2025) invites us to pray:
We pray for all young people undertaking their ministry journeys, may they feel the Holy Spirit working through them in the communities where they are based.
The Collect:
Merciful Lord,
absolve your people from their offences,
that through your bountiful goodness
we may all be delivered from the chains of those sins
which by our frailty we have committed;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for Jesus Christ’s sake, our blessed Lord and Saviour,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Post Communion Prayer:
Lord God,
whose blessed Son our Saviour
gave his back to the smiters
and did not hide his face from shame:
give us grace to endure the sufferings of this present time
with sure confidence in the glory that shall be revealed;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Additional Collect:
Merciful Lord,
you know our struggle to serve you:
when sin spoils our lives
and overshadows our hearts,
come to our aid
and turn us back to you again;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Yesterday’s Reflection
Continued Tomorrow
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org
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