Witnesses to the truth (Thurs of Lent 4)

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Exodus 32:7-14 ; John 5:31-47

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that though hast made and doth forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness, through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Carracci's St John the Baptist - the prophet witnessing to Christ

Witnesses to God

In Jewish legal tradition one needed two or three witnesses to sustain a claim. Jesus brings before his Jewish opponents His witnesses. First His miracles testify to who He is. Secondly John the Baptist testifies to who He is. Thirdly the words of the Bible (the first five books of Moses) testify to Him.

The witnesses to God continue to be the same today. God speaks to us through miracles and events which reveal the glory of God. God speaks to us through ‘prophets’ - those who speak His word. And God speaks to us through Sacred Scripture.

Jesus rebuked those who believed they possessed the truth just by having the Bible, but did not believe in Him whom God was sending them. God instructs us when we listen to what God’s servants teach us. But how do we know whether they are His servants? Jesus says that those who love the truth recognise those who speak the truth. We must love and pursue the truth and not be swayed just by what others think: the passing fashions of thought.

One of the great dangers of the internet, of social media, and of the blogosphere is that we can end up being swayed by passing fashions of thought, and the truth gets lost amongst the terrabytes of opinions at our fingertips. Nothing should be preferred to the living sources of our faith, the real witnesses to the Truth. It is easy to spend much time surfing blogs for opinion on the latest thing, but we should spend more time with God’s Word in Scripture and immerse our minds on reliable witness statements. The most accessible and comprehensive of sources the Church provides for us is the Catechism of the Catholic Church – let us ask ourselves whether we make enough use of this great gift to the Church, or do we prefer passing fashion and opinion?

Psalm 106

Confitemini Domino

O GIVE thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious : and his mercy endureth for ever.

2. Who can express the noble acts of the Lord : or shew forth all his praise?

3. Blessed are they that alway keep judgement : and do righteousness.

4. Remember me, O Lord, according to the favour that thou bearest unto thy people : O visit me with thy salvation;

5. That I may see the felicity of thy chosen : and rejoice in the gladness of thy people, and give thanks with thine inheritance.

6. We have sinned with our fathers : we have done amiss, and dealt wickedly.

7. Our fathers regarded not thy wonders in Egypt, neither kept they thy great goodness in remembrance : but were disobedient at the sea, even at the Red sea.

8. Nevertheless, he helped them for his Name's sake : that he might make his power to be known.

9. He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up : so he led them through the deep, as through a wilderness.

10. And he saved them from the adversaries' hand : and delivered them from the hand of the enemy.

11. As for those that troubled them, the waters overwhelmed them : there was not one of them left.

12. Then believed they his words : and sang praise unto him.

13. But within a while they forgat his works : and would not abide his counsel.

14. But lust came upon them in the wilderness : and they tempted God in the desert.

15. And he gave them their desire : and sent leanness withal into their soul.

16. They angered Moses also in the tents : and Aaron the saint of the Lord.

17. So the earth opened, and swallowed up Dathan : and covered the congregation of Abiram.

18. And the fire was kindled in their company : the flame burnt up the ungodly.

19. They made a calf in Horeb : and worshipped the molten image.

20. Thus they turned their glory : into the similitude of a calf that eateth hay.

21. And they forgat God their Saviour : who had done so great things in Egypt;

22. Wondrous works in the land of Ham : and fearful things by the Red sea.

23. So he said, he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the gap : to turn away his wrathful indignation, lest he should destroy them.

24. Yea, they thought scorn of that pleasant land : and gave no credence unto his word;

25. But murmured in their tents : and hearkened not unto the voice of the lord.

26. Then lift he up his hand against them : to overthrow them in the wilderness;

27. To cast out their seed among the nations : and to scatter them in the lands.

28. They joined themselves unto Baal-peor : and ate the offerings of the dead.

29. Thus they provoked him to anger with their own inventions : and the plague was great among them.

30. Then stood up Phinees and prayed : and so the plague ceased.

31. And that was counted unto him for righteousness : among all posterities for evermore.

32. They angered him also at the waters of strife : so that he punished Moses for their sakes;

33. Because they provoked his spirit : so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

34. Neither destroyed they the heathen : as the Lord commanded them;

35. But were mingled among the heathen : and learned their works.

36. Insomuch that they worshipped their idols, which turned to their own decay : yea, they offered their sons and their daughters unto devils;

37. And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters : whom they had offered unto the idols of Canaan; and the land was defiled with blood.

38. Thus were they stained with their own works : and went a whoring with their own inventions.

39. Therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people : insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.

40. And he gave them over into the hands of the heathen : and they that hated them were lords over them.

41. Their enemies oppressed them : and had them in subjection.

42. Many a time did he deliver them : but they rebelled against him with their own inventions, and were brought down in their wickedness.

43. Nevertheless, when he saw their adversity : he heard their complaint.

44. He thought upon his covenant, and pitied them according unto the multitude of his mercies : yea, he made all those that led them away captive to pity them.

45. Deliver us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen : that we may give thanks unto thy holy Name, and make our boast of thy praise.

46. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and world without end : and let all the people say, Amen.

GRANT, we beseech thee, almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished; by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.