The Fifth Thursday of Lent

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.”  So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’

Jesus makes a promise to everyone who listens to his Good News. If we keep his word, we will not see death. He does not mean physical death, but rather the spiritual death that comes from denying him and choosing to follow our own paths to destruction. We all are tempted in various ways to deny Christ. Sometimes in mind, other times in body, and even in spirit. We can put our own desires above God's Will and seek only to glorify ourselves and not our Heavenly Father. When this happens, we choose to live our lives for nothing, for empty pleasures. This is why it is so important to keep God's commandments in spirit and truth. They help us to remain in God's glorifying grace and help us to resist making ourselves into judges, like Adam and Eve did so long ago.

Are we keeping the Word of God? If not, how can we cast aside those things that are keeping us from following the Way of Christ? What can we do to lead others along with us to God's Grace?

O Lord, we wish only to keep your word and never see death.

Amen.