The Fourth Thursday of Lent

“I do not accept human praise; moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you. I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?

It is easy to get caught up in the praise of others and become prideful, but Jesus warns us against this sin. It is not the glory or gratitude of the world we should be seeking, but rather the praise of God. And the only way to win that praise is to testify to the truth and live in the light of the Lord. Throughout our lives we will hear people proclaiming they know the truth or preach with their own authority, but God is the only font of truth and if we want to join Jesus in heaven, then we will need to embrace his gospel message and all it entails for our lives. By this act, we prove our love for God and choose Him over everything else.

Do we seek the praise of others or of God? Do we live our lives as a testimony to the truths of the gospel? What can we do to bring our lives into alignment with Jesus' words?

O Lord, we love you and seek your praise.

Amen.