Jesus the Son of God Himself had a hard time convincing the Jews of who He truly was. Even though He had performed many miraculous works and wonders that only could only be done through the power and grace of God. Yet many refused to believe He was who He said He is and that is the Son of the Most High God. Yet He was not discouraged and stood firm in His indentity and faced His destiny according to His Father’s Will for Him.
What about us then? As children of God our Heavenly Father empowered by Jesus His Son to minister to His flock. What happens when we face opposition in church, in the office or even at home! When people refuse to believe in the signs and wonders we work in Jesus’s name? When they fail to see the fruits of our labour in the lives of the folks we had ministered to through His power and grace? Will we cower in fear or shall we stand firm in our identity as disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Come Lord Jesus come to my aid in all adversity! Amen
Saint Stanislaus, pray for us….
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First reading
Jeremiah 20:10-13
He has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men
Jeremiah said:
I hear so many disparaging me,
‘“Terror from every side!”
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’
All those who used to be my friends
watched for my downfall,
‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error.
Then we will master him
and take our revenge!’
But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;
my opponents will stumble, mastered,
confounded by their failure;
everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.
But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice, who scrutinise the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you.
Sing to the Lord,
praise the Lord,
for he has delivered the soul of the needy
from the hands of evil men.
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Gospel
John 10:31-42
They wanted to stone Jesus, but he eluded them
The Jews fetched stones to stone him, so Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good works for you to see, works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We are not stoning you for doing a good work but for blasphemy: you are only a man and you claim to be God.’ Jesus answered:
‘Is it not written in your Law:
I said, you are gods?
So the Law uses the word gods
of those to whom the word of God was addressed,
and scripture cannot be rejected.
Yet you say to someone the Father has consecrated and sent into the world,
“You are blaspheming,”
because he says, “I am the son of God.”
If I am not doing my Father’s work,
there is no need to believe me;
but if I am doing it,
then even if you refuse to believe in me,
at least believe in the work I do;
then you will know for sure
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’
They wanted to arrest him then, but he eluded them.
He went back again to the far side of the Jordan to stay in the district where John had once been baptising. Many people who came to him there said, ‘John gave no signs, but all he said about this man was true’; and many of them believed in him.
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