Today's Gospel 2 April 2020 with comment

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John 8,51: 59-XNUMX.
At that time, Jesus said to the Jews, "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone observes my word, he will never see death."
The Jews said to him, "Now we know you have a demon. Abraham is dead, as well as the prophets, and you say: "Whoever keeps my word will never know death".
Are you older than our father Abraham who died? Even the prophets died; who do you pretend to be? »
Jesus replied: «If I glorify myself, my glory would be nothing; who glorifies me is my Father, of whom you say: "He is our God!",
and you don't know it. I, on the other hand, know him. And if I said I don't know him, I would be like you, a liar; but I know him and observe his word.
Abraham your father exulted in the hope of seeing my day; he saw it and rejoiced. "
Then the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old and have you seen Abraham?"
Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."
Then they collected stones to throw them at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple.

Saint Gertrude of Helfta (1256-1301)
bandaged nun

The Herald, Book IV, SC 255
We offer our testimonies of love to the Lord
As soon as it was read in the Gospel: "Now we know that you have a devil" (Jn 8,52), Gertrude, moved to the bowels of the injury done to her Lord and unable to bear that the beloved of her soul was so undeservedly outraged, he said these words of tenderness with the deepest feeling of his heart: "(...) Jesus, beloved! You, my supreme and only salvation! "

And her lover, who in his goodness wanted to reward her, as usual, in an overabundant way, took her chin with his blessed hand and leaned towards her with tenderness, dropping into the soul's ear with an infinitely whisper sweet words: "I, your Creator, your Redeemer and your lover, through the anguish of death, I sought you at the price of all my bliss". (...)

Let us therefore strive, with all the ardor of our heart and soul, to offer the Lord testimonies of love every time we feel that an injury is done to him. And if we cannot do it with the same fervor, let us offer him at least the will and desire of this fervor, the desire and love of every creature for God, and we trust in his generous goodness: he will not despise the modest offer of his poor, but rather, according to the riches of his mercy and tenderness, he will accept it by rewarding it far beyond our merits.