The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, March 12, 2004
Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 11:18-20
Psalm 7:2-3,9-12
John 7:40-53

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Both Jeremiah and Jesus are the focus of controversy. The people of both Jeremiah and Jesus' time dispute their teaching, using Scripture to prove their points. In the Gospel, the Pharisees have blinded themselves to the Scriptures. They lack humility, openness, and purity of heart and motives in what the Word of God has to convey. Their sin is great in this regard, as is the sin of any who abuse the Bible, seeking only to prove a point when reading, rather than praying the Scriptures with a view to learning.

Lent is the best time of the year to check out our habits of prayer and study. We need to ask ourselves, "What is my attitude when reading the Bible? Do I pray, even briefly, but fervently, whenever I approach the sacred text? Do I read carefully, making sure I make an effort to understand what I read--words, context, references made to other passages of Scripture? Do I ask for humility and grace to absorb and grow from what I understand? And am I careful when using the truth of Scripture in discussion or debate with others?

May we never fall into the careless and irresponsible practices of the Pharisees in using Scripture to promote half-truths or downright falsehood.

- Msgr. Paul E. Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life