Reflection for April 30 Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter: John 3:16-21

Gospel: John 3:16-21

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did n
ot send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.  

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.

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Reflection:

What would happen to us if we do not embrace the teachings of God?

We will live miserable lives in this world. Almost all of humanity knows that there is a God, but not all of us embrace His teachings. We prefer to follow the ways of the world rather than the ways of God.

We prefer to enjoy life without God rather than life with Him. Why? Is it because God sets rules and limits on how we live our lives? Many of us do not want our freedom to be curtailed. But since freedom is not absolute, there are limits to it.

God always wants us to avoid sin. The reason is simple: the moment we commit sin, we envelope ourselves in darkness—and darkness is the absence of the light of God. Just imagine a life in darkness. It’s a life without hope, and this is precisely what the devil offers us: a life without hope, sugar-coated with worldly pleasures.

But no sinner is beyond the reach of the love of God. God always offers us His hand of forgiveness and love. This forgiveness and love are for our benefit—but do we take advantage of this great gift?

God loves us so dearly that He gave us Jesus, His only begotten Son, to save us from all our sinfulness. Let us not set Jesus aside and tell Him that we will first enjoy the sinful pleasures of this world before coming to Him—for it may be too late by then.

Let us embrace God now. Let us open our lives to Him now. Let us start walking away from our sinfulness now. – Marino J. Dasmarinas