Daily Mass Reflections Tuesday Fourth Week of Lent

 

Daily Mass Reflections: This is the Catholic Daily Mass Readings and Reflections for Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Lenten Season. Thanks for joining today’s mass readings and reflections. Today’s first reading is from Ezekiel 47: 1-9,12 and Gospel Reading is from John 5: 1-16.

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Ezekiel 47: 1-9,12.

Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the right side of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me round on the outside to the outer gate, that faces toward the east; h and the water was coming out on the right side. Going on eastward with a line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water; and it was ankle-deep. Again, he measured a thousand, and led me through the water; and it was knee-deep. Again, he measured a thousand, and led me through the water; and it was up to the loins. Again, he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. And he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he led me back along the bank of the river. As I went back, I saw upon the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other. And he said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah; and when it enters the stagnant waters of the sea, he water will become fresh. And wherever the river j goes every living creature which swarms will live, and there will be very many fish; for this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so, everything will live where the river goes. And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”

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Responsorial Psalm. 

R.   The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. 
God is our refuge and our strength,
    an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore we fear not, though the earth be shaken
    and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R.    The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. 
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
    the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
    God will help it at the break of dawn.
R.    The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. 
The LORD of hosts is with us;
    our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
    the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R.    The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. 

Gospel Acclamation.

A clean heart create for me, O God;
give me back the joy of your salvation.

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John 5: 1-16.

After this, there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethzatha which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going, another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your pallet, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked. Now that day was the sabbath. So, the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet.” But he answered them, “The man who healed me said to me, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk.’” They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your pallet, and walk’?” Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did this on the sabbath.

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Gospel Reflection.

Dear God’s beloved children, “Do you want to be healed?” this was the question asked by Jesus to that man who remained for thirty-eight years in the porticoes of Bethzatha. Many remained with him and received healing when an angel came and troubled the water. Instead of sharing his wish, he shares an excuse why he is not healed. He says: “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another step down before me.”

But when we reflect upon the answer of this man, we may have to consider that in actuality he does not want to get healed. When years passed, he started to enjoy being in his paralyzed state, otherwise, he could have tried to reach near the pool or seek someone else help to take him to the pool. But he never wanted that, instead, he enjoyed the sympathy he received from the passer-by.

But Jesus did not want to leave him in that way. So, Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your pallet, and walk.” And he obeyed Jesus and received healing. When we consider this healing with our lives, often we too are paralyzed in our sinful ways. We are so many times falling back into the same mistakes in our lives. The same question Jesus asked to us, “Do you want to be healed?” Are you going to give excuses to Jesus, the reason why we are falling again and again? He tells us to rise from sinful ways and walk away with great faith. Jesus came to save us, and he invites us to that salvation. Let us accept his invitation and follow him.

Daily Mass Reflections Tuesday Fourth Week of Lent