Yesterday’s reading (sorry I missed)
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,
“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave does not remain in a household forever,
but a son always remains.
So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.
I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
But you are trying to kill me,
because my word has no room among you.
I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence;
then do what you have heard from the Father.”
They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children,
you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father!”
So they said to him, “We were not born of fornication.
We have one Father, God.”
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and am here;
I did not come on my own, but he sent me.” JN 8:31-42
Spoiler alert: “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.” JN 8:42 Jesus came from God and walked the earth, God the father sent Him to establish the everlasting covenant between God and His people to reconcile us with Him and allow us to be forgiven Original sin and personal sin. Jesus reminds us that sin has serious consequences. He warns that sin can make us slaves (we have all experienced this in our life), but He came to set us free. Death on the cross, resurrection, Baptism with water and the Spirit frees of Original Sin, reconciliation through an ordained priest, “‘As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’” (John 20:21–23). http://www.catholic.com/tracts/the-forgiveness-of-sins (This is a great resource for the Catholic belief in the forgiveness of sins through a priest)
Again, how many times does Jesus have to tell the Jews and us He is from God, He is God, and He came to change humanity forever. Of course, anyone can say anything, you must believe in what He is saying and live it.
Today’s Gospel:
Jesus said to the Jews:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever keeps my word will never see death.”
So the Jews said to him,
“Now we are sure that you are possessed.
Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say,
‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’
Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?
Or the prophets, who died?
Who do you make yourself out to be?”
Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing;
but it is my Father who glorifies me,
of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’
You do not know him, but I know him.
And if I should say that I do not know him,
I would be like you a liar.
But I do know him and I keep his word.
Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day;
he saw it and was glad.”
So the Jews said to him,
“You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you,
before Abraham came to be, I AM.”
So they picked up stones to throw at him;
but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. JN 8:51-59
Jesus is taking off the gloves and using fighting words with the Jews now. They picked up stones to throw at Him. Jesus is continuing to stand firm that He is the Son of God and one with the Father who sent Him. ”Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” Radical. Jesus puts His Word above death. Are you striving to live His Word?
Next, the Jews ask if Jesus is above the covenant of the Torah given to Abraham by God himself. This is a whopper! Jesus answers, ““If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” Jesus tells the Jews He knows God much better than they do and calls them liars if they do not believe Him. Then, He puts himself above the great patriarch of the Old Testament, Abraham and says that Abraham rejoiced at seeing Jesus, the Savior.
Last, Jesus puts the icing on the cake. The Jews of course ask how Jesus knows Abraham rejoiced at seeing Him. Jesus replies, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” Jesus calls Himself God once again! These words of Jesus are complete blasphemy or complete Divine Revelation. This is the dividing point for all of us. Do we believe in what Jesus said (ultimately believing He did die and rise making everything He said true)? Or do we kinda believe, or is there time to believe later, or do we not want to totally commit because we might have to change or be transformed. Believing in anything with our whole heart and soul might be the hardest thing we ever commit to. It is going to take an act of God (the death and resurrection of His only Son) to move our hearts and souls to believe in Jesus Christ, His Word, and life after death. ”And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?” And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” MT19:25-26 Let God love you. He is fighting for you. He sent His only Son for you. Does this mean anything to you and I? God’s entire purpose is to create us, love us, and bring us back home to heaven. Our entire purpose is to gain this knowledge on earth, love Him back, serve Him by loving and serving others doing His will, and returning back to Him in our heavenly home. Distractions, distractions, we allow so many distractions and selfishness to get in the way of this Divine Plan. It’s Lent, pray, fast, give alms and sit quietly in the Adoration chapel or empty church and tell God you are all in, ask Him to take the wheel, it’s time to start living not just existing.
Today’s challenge: Ask Jesus to help you believe.
Christian YOLO, YODO
Be a servant, Become a saint!
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