In most of our reflections on this passages we will look back to see what are the ‘golden calves’ in our lives. That in which we put priority above the Lord our God, that we ‘honour and worship’ with all our energy and time. And it can be literally anything which leads us away from prayer, His Word but most of all our familial relationship with Him.
Perhaps today we should look inwards to see how we are the ‘golden calves’ ourselves! When we put our thoughts above His thoughts, our ways above His ways. When we take shortcuts and refuse to carry our cross to follow after Him. When we take for granted what is sacred and trample over hallowed ground. Posting pictures of sacred places of worship for what? Likes on Social Media? By walking around the altar area with no reverence or thought for where we are? When we choose to wear what we like without a care, for instance what we would use to the beach or for a gym workout, we wear to Church for the Eucharistic Celebration. When we make decisions without proper prayer or discernment on matters concerning His Church and His flock. When we refuse to concern ourselves with the poor and those in need. When it is all about me, my preferences and my likes…. I am the golden calf!
Jesus Son of the living God most High, have mercy on me a sinner. Let me never lose my relationship with You. I surrender my all to You, Your Holy Will which is love and mercy itself. Amen
First reading
Exodus 32:7-14 ·
Moses pleads with the Lord his God to spare Israel
The Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Go down now, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have apostatised. They have been quick to leave the way I marked out for them; they have made themselves a calf of molten metal and have worshipped it and offered it sacrifice. “Here is your God, Israel,” they have cried “who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”’ the Lord said to Moses, ‘I can see how headstrong these people are! Leave me, now, my wrath shall blaze out against them and devour them; of you, however, I will make a great nation.’
But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘why should your wrath blaze out against this people of yours whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with arm outstretched and mighty hand? Why let the Egyptians say, “Ah, it was in treachery that he brought them out, to do them to death in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth”? Leave your burning wrath; relent and do not bring this disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, your servants to whom by your own self you swore and made this promise: I will make your offspring as many as the stars of heaven, and all this land which I promised I will give to your descendants, and it shall be their heritage for ever.’
So the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
Gospel
John 5:31-47
You place your hopes on Moses but Moses will be your accuser
Jesus said to the Jews:
‘Were I to testify on my own behalf,
my testimony would not be valid;
but there is another witness who can speak on my behalf,
and I know that his testimony is valid.
You sent messengers to John,
and he gave his testimony to the truth:
not that I depend on human testimony;
no, it is for your salvation that I speak of this.
John was a lamp alight and shining
and for a time you were content to enjoy the light that he gave.
But my testimony is greater than John’s:
the works my Father has given me to carry out,
these same works of mine testify
that the Father has sent me.
Besides, the Father who sent me
bears witness to me himself.
You have never heard his voice,
you have never seen his shape,
and his word finds no home in you
because you do not believe in the one he has sent.
‘You study the scriptures,
believing that in them you have eternal life;
now these same scriptures testify to me,
and yet you refuse to come to me for life!
As for human approval, this means nothing to me.
Besides, I know you too well: you have no love of God in you.
I have come in the name of my Father
and you refuse to accept me;
if someone else comes in his own name
you will accept him.
How can you believe,
since you look to one another for approval
and are not concerned
with the approval that comes from the one God?
Do not imagine that I am going to accuse you before the Father:
you place your hopes on Moses,
and Moses will be your accuser.
If you really believed him
you would believe me too,
since it was I that he was writing about;
but if you refuse to believe what he wrote,
how can you believe what I say?’
CatholicJules.net 