Summary: <br> 4th Thursday of Lent – A Time of Lectio Divina for the Discerning Heart Podcast<br> As you begin, take a deep breath and exhale slowly. For at least the next few moments, surrender all the cares and concerns of this day to the Lord.<br> Say slowly from your heart “Jesus, I Trust In You…You Take Over”<br> Become aware that He is with you, looking upon you with love, wanting to be heard deep within in your heart…<br> From the Holy Gospel of St. John 5:31-47<br> Jesus said to the Jews:<br> ‘Were I to testify on my own behalf,<br> my testimony would not be valid;<br> but there is another witness who can speak on my behalf,<br> and I know that his testimony is valid.<br> You sent messengers to John,<br> and he gave his testimony to the truth:<br> not that I depend on human testimony;<br> no, it is for your salvation that I speak of this.<br> John was a lamp alight and shining<br> and for a time you were content to enjoy the light that he gave.<br> But my testimony is greater than John’s:<br> the works my Father has given me to carry out,<br> these same works of mine testify<br> that the Father has sent me.<br> Besides, the Father who sent me<br> bears witness to me himself.<br> You have never heard his voice,<br> you have never seen his shape,<br> and his word finds no home in you<br> because you do not believe in the one he has sent.<br> ‘You study the scriptures,<br> believing that in them you have eternal life;<br> now these same scriptures testify to me,<br> and yet you refuse to come to me for life!<br> As for human approval, this means nothing to me.<br> Besides, I know you too well: you have no love of God in you.<br> I have come in the name of my Father<br> and you refuse to accept me;<br> if someone else comes in his own name<br> you will accept him.<br> How can you believe,<br> since you look to one another for approval<br> and are not concerned<br> with the approval that comes from the one God?<br> Do not imagine that I am going to accuse you before the Father:<br> you place your hopes on Moses,<br> and Moses will be your accuser.<br> If you really believed him<br> you would believe me too,<br> since it was I that he was writing about;<br> but if you refuse to believe what he wrote,<br> how can you believe what I say?’<br> What word made this passage come alive for you?<br> <br> What did you sense the Lord saying to you?<br> Once more give the Lord an opportunity to speak to you:<br> Jesus said to the Jews:<br> ‘Were I to testify on my own behalf,<br> my testimony would not be valid;<br> but there is another witness who can speak on my behalf,<br> and I know that his testimony is valid.<br> You sent messengers to John,<br> and he gave his testimony to the truth:<br> not that I depend on human testimony;<br> no, it is for your salvation that I speak of this.<br> John was a lamp alight and shining<br> and for a time you were content to enjoy the light that he gave.<br> But my testimony is greater than John’s:<br> the works my Father has given me to carry out,<br> these same works of mine testify<br> that the Father has sent me.<br> Besides, the Father who sent me<br> bears witness to me himself.<br> You have never heard his voice,<br> you have never seen his shape,<br> and his word finds no home in you<br> because you do not believe in the one he has sent.<br> ‘You study the scriptures,<br> believing that in them you have eternal life;<br> now these same scriptures testify to me,<br> and yet you refuse to come to me for life!<br> As for human approval, this means nothing to me.<br> Besides, I know you too well: you have no love of God in you.<br> I have come in the name of my Father<br> and you refuse to accept me;<br> if someone else comes in his own name<br> you will accept him.<br> How can you believe,<br>
