For the first time in a long time, my confidence was shaken. When I committed my life to serving Jesus years ago, I asked for the gift of faith. Because of this gift, I’m hardly rocked by crisis. I always trust that God answers my prayers and all things work for good. This allowed me to encourage others and pray for them with the belief that God’s plan will prevail.

So when my sister was diagnosed with cancer and had to undergo surgery, I trusted it would all work out as it always had. A healing priest even prayed over her before I took her to the OR. But just hours later, my sister died.

I’m heartbroken. I don’t understand. Like Jeremiah, I feel like giving up preaching. I almost didn’t submit my Didache  reflections. But today, God reminded me that He tests us and sees our heart. A priest friend of mine reminded me that it’s OK to be angry with God. He can take it.

Hurt as I am, I love and trust the Lord. I know that one day, He will give me the answers I seek. With the love and support of community, I decided to keep preaching.

Ped Faytaren (pedrito.faytaren@gmail.com)

reflect

“We honor God by choosing to trust Him when we don’t understand what He is doing or why He has allowed some adverse circumstance to occur.” (Jerry Bridges)

Lord, I trust that You walk with me in the valley of my darkness.

Saint Rupert, pray for us.

Jeremiah knows that there are rumblings against him among the leaders of the Jewish people. The leaders reject Jeremiah’s prophetic message from the Lord because it is critical of the present leadership. His response is human: he appears to anticipate God’s judgment of the leaders in the near future. 

¹⁰ I hear the whisperings of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce! Let us denounce him!” All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. “Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.” ¹¹ But the Lord is with me, like a mighty champion  my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. ¹² O Lord of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. ¹³ Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 18:2-3, 3-4, 5-6, 7

R: In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.

² I love you, O Lord, my strength, ³ O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. (R) My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! ⁴ Praised be the Lord, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies. (R) ⁵ The breakers of death surged round about me, the destroying floods overwhelmed me; ⁶ the cords of the nether world enmeshed me, the snares of death overtook me. (R) ⁷ In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried out to my God; from his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. (R)

Gospel | John 10:31-42

Like what happened to Jeremiah over 500 years ago, the Jewish leaders attempt to kill Jesus because they are angry at His criticisms of their leadership. Who is this Jesus, and what does He think He is doing, criticizing the leadership of the Jews? Ironically, the main accusation of the leaders is true—Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God. They cannot accept that Jesus is the Messiah. 

Gospel Acclamation

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.

³¹ The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. ³² Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” ³³ The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” ³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods” ’? ³⁵ If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, ³⁶ can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? ³⁷ If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; ³⁸ but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” ³⁹ Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. ⁴⁰ He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. ⁴¹ Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” ⁴² And many there began to believe in him.

Reflect

How do the leaders in your community, workplace, and parish lead the people? In what aspects of leadership do they excel? In what aspects do they need to improve and how?

Read the Bible in one year! Read EXODUS 1 - 3 today.

As a child growing up in the barrio, summer days often meant sneaking around mango trees with friends, hoping to grab a few ripe fruits. Climbing the tree was risky; the owner might catch us. Instead, we’d throw stones at the branches, knocking down the mangoes we could quickly retrieve. There was even a joke among us: If you threw a stone at a monkey enjoying the mangoes, it might throw mangoes back at you! It was a mischievous strategy, but one thing became clear to us—only trees bearing good fruit were worth the effort.

This simple memory mirrors the message in today’s Gospel. Jesus compares His situation to a fruitful tree being stoned for its good fruit. When His detractors pick up stones to throw at Him, He asks, “I have shown you many good works from My Father. For which of these are you trying to stone Me?” His response underscores that His actions are the fruits of His Father’s mission, and these works make Him a target.

Jesus calls His audience to discern His identity through His works. He says, “If I do not perform My Father’s works, do not believe Me; but if I perform them, believe the works so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in Me and I am in the Father.” This ties into the saying, “You will know a tree by its fruits.” Good fruits come from good trees, just as good works reflect the presence of the Holy Spirit.

As we approach Holy Week, Jesus’ words challenge us to reflect on the fruits of our lives. This is an invitation to examine our conscience, seek forgiveness, and commit to bearing good fruits of love, kindness, and truth. Let us ensure that our lives reflect the goodness of the Holy Spirit and the mission of the Father. 

Fr. Toto Cerada, SDB

reflection question

This Lent, examine the fruits of your life. How can you ensure they reflect love, kindness, and the presence of God’s Spirit in your actions?

Lord, help me bear good fruits. Cleanse my heart of careless words and actions, and guide me to reflect Your love and truth in all I do. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ___________________________________