Daily Catholic Lectio
Wed, 13 March 2024
Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent
Isaiah 49:8-15. John 5:17-30
I will never forget you!
In Isaiah 42–53, we have four servant songs. A servant is someone who does the work of God here and now. In the first servant song (cf. 42:1-4), the servant brings forth justice to all nations; the second song (cf. 49:1-6) defines the nature of his work; in the third song, we see how the servant feels his God as his helper who stands in good stead with him (cf. 50:7); and in the last song (cf. 52:13-53:12), the servant shows his opposition to the oppressor through his silence.
The first reading is taken from the text that follows the second servant song.
Who is this (suffering) servant? Some say that the expression refers to Isaiah, some say Moses, some say Messiah, and mostly people agree that ‘people of Israel’ should be the servants.
The first reading has three parts:
(a) Compassion that leads
The prophet Isaiah, who announces that the people of Israel will return from the Babylonian exile, tells them that God himself will lead them out with compassion.
(b) Path through the mountains
The people of Israel will feel the protection of God all along their path.
(c) God, who never forgets
Through the metaphor of ‘mother and infant’, God tells them that he will never forget the people of Israel. In the Ancient Near East tradition, it was believed that the world was alive because gods thought of it.
When the people of Israel felt empty, lonely, and helpless, God showed them his accompanying presence.
The gospel reading is the discourse of Jesus after the third sign of healing the man who was ill for thirty-eight years. The Jews took offence at Jesus for having trespassed on a Sabbath law and healed the person. Jesus categorically announces that since God is active on all days, so is the Son of God. Moreover, he reveals to them the closeness of his father.
Though Jesus was opposed by the Jews and was persecuted, he never felt abandoned by God, his Father.
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We are blessed to be remembered by God. God, who remembers us, invites us to remember each other and love. (Jubilee A. D. 2025, bite 53)
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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