Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent
π Today's Readings
- First Reading: Genesis 17:3–9
- Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105:4–5, 6–7, 8–9
- Gospel: John 8:51–59
π️ "Before Abraham Was, I AM — The Eternal God Who Stands Before You"
π Reflection
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today Jesus makes one of the most stunning claims in all of Scripture — and those who heard it understood it immediately, which is precisely why they tried to stone Him.
In the Gospel, Jesus is in a heated exchange with the Jewish leaders. They question His authority. They challenge His claim to know Abraham. And then Jesus says something that shatters every category: "Before Abraham was, I AM."
Those two words — I AM — are the holy name of God, revealed to Moses at the burning bush. In the Greek of the New Testament, this is ego eimi — the most deliberate, direct claim to divine identity ever uttered. Jesus is not merely saying He existed before Abraham. He is saying He is the eternal God who spoke to Moses, who made the covenant with Abraham, who has been present since before time began.
The First Reading gives us the covenant God made with Abraham — the promise that through him all nations would be blessed, and that God would be faithful across every generation. The Responsorial Psalm echoes this beautifully: He remembers His covenant forever. What He promises, He keeps.
And now, standing before them in human flesh, is the very God who made that covenant. The fulfillment of all God's promises has walked into history with a human face and human hands.
We are now two days from Palm Sunday. The I AM — the Eternal God — is about to allow Himself to be arrested, tried, and crucified by the very creatures He created and redeemed. The infinite humility of this is almost impossible to grasp. Let it move you today. Let it break open whatever is still hardened in your heart.
Before you were born, before Abraham, before the mountains — God knew your name and loved you. That is the God who walks to Jerusalem for you.
π‘ One Simple Message for Today Jesus is not merely a great teacher — He is the great I AM, the eternal God made flesh. Let this truth anchor your faith as Holy Week draws near.
π A Prayer for Today
Lord Jesus, You are the great I AM — eternal, unchanging, faithful. Before I ever knew You, You knew me. You walked into human history and toward the Cross, carrying my name in Your heart. Deepen my faith today. Let me never take for granted who You truly are. Amen.
πΏ Lenten Practice for Today
Slowly and prayerfully read Exodus 3:13–14 today, where God reveals His holy name to Moses. Then read today's Gospel again. Let the connection between the God of the burning bush and the Jesus standing in the Temple fill you with wonder and adoration.
May the Lord bless you and keep you close to His Sacred Heart this holy season. π️
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