Holy Angels - Woodbury, NJ
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Thursday, 4th Week of Lent

3/30/2017

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Today's Reading 
John 5:31-47

Jesus said to the Jews: 
"If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.
But there is another who testifies on my behalf,
and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.
You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.
I do not accept human testimony,
but I say this so that you may be saved.
He was a burning and shining lamp,
and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.
But I have testimony greater than John's.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me.
Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf.
But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
and you do not have his word remaining in you,
because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent.
You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have eternal life through them;
even they testify on my behalf.
But you do not want to come to me to have life.

"I do not accept human praise;
moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you. 
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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?
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father:
the one who will accuse you is Moses,
in whom you have placed your hope.
For if you had believed Moses,
you would have believed me,
because he wrote about me. 
But if you do not believe his writings,
how will you believe my words?"
Reflection
Jesus is confident in His mission and lays everything out there for the Jews to either accept or discard. “I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me."  Jesus explains over and over again that He is the one about whom the prophets wrote, the one for whom John the Baptist was preparing the way, all of scripture has prepared the Israelites for this moment but in their pride, they refuse to accept it. We find ourselves in this same boat at times. 

Too often we fall back on our knowledge of scripture, our degrees, our good works, and how much we know about the faith. This is not what Christ wants from us. Jesus wants a relationship. He wants us to believe in Him. He is the truth. He is the way. He is the life. Everything points to Him. We focus too much on the things we do, the books we read and the charitable causes to which we are dedicated. While these are great things to have in our life, it is not the most important. How is our personal relationship with the resurrected and living Christ? How often are we just sitting and speaking with Him? This is what Lent is all about. 
​

Let us take some time to bring into focus our priorities; why are we doing the things we are doing in our life? Let us read the scripture understanding that it is speaking of the person of Christ. Let us do our good works recognizing we are serving the person of Christ. Let us give, love and serve knowing that it is Christ who loved and served first. Today, spend 10 minutes in silence, at the end of those 10 minutes, speak to Jesus from your heart asking Him to once again become the center of your life and the motivation for all that you do. 
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Wednesday, 4th Week of Lent

3/29/2017

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Today's Reading 
Isaiah 49:8-15 

Thus says the LORD:
In a time of favor I answer you,
on the day of salvation I help you;
and I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people,
To restore the land
and allot the desolate heritages,
Saying to the prisoners: Come out!
To those in darkness: Show yourselves!
Along the ways they shall find pasture,
on every bare height shall their pastures be.
They shall not hunger or thirst,
nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them;
For he who pities them leads them
and guides them beside springs of water.
I will cut a road through all my mountains,
and make my highways level.
See, some shall come from afar,
others from the north and the west,
and some from the land of Syene.
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Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth,
break forth into song, you mountains.
For the LORD comforts His people
and shows mercy to His afflicted.
​
But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me;

my Lord has forgotten me."
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you.
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Reflection
Today’s first reading reminds us that although we may forget about God, God never forgets us. The prophet Isaiah is writing to the Jews in Exile reminding them that God has not forgotten them. He will restore them to their land and they shall want for nothing. He did not forsake them and He does not forsake you.

How often do we pray to God and grow impatient and frustrated when our prayers are not answered right when we want them to be? This can make us feel as though the Lord has forgotten about us. We pray and seek, but God does not respond. He never fails to answer prayers. Remember, “No” is an answer too. We so easily forget that God is all knowing all powerful and we must place all our trust in Him and His perfect timing. 


Despite life’s circumstance or our own failures and weaknesses, we have a God who is all loving and merciful who desires to be united with us.  There will be many ups and downs in life, many unknowns and much suffering, but there is great peace in knowing that we are not alone. God is with us through it all. We hold steadfast to His promises that, “the LORD comforts His people and shows mercy to His afflicted.” His love for us is infinite and He will not forsake us. He will never forget us and He holds us in the palm of His hands. Today, spend 15 extra minutes in prayer thanking God for His presence and love in your life.
All content is created by "Array of Hope".  If you would like to directly receive all of the content created by this ministry you can sign up at www.arrayofhope.net
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    Lenten Reflections

    Daily reading and a Lenten reflection including tips on how to live out the hope of Christ's resurrection.
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Parish Office
81 Cooper Street 
Woodbury, NJ
Phone 856-845-0123
 Office Hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm Monday-Friday
​Fax: 856-845-7409
Email: mail@holyangelsnj.org 
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