Gospel: John
8:51-59
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.
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Reflection:
What does
Jesus gives us? Jesus gives us eternal life, we believe that if we have faith in Jesus we will
never die. Yes we literally die through our physical death but after that we
believe that we will be with Jesus in heaven to live eternally.
Among other
reasons to believe in Jesus we primarily believe and love Jesus because we want
to be with Him in heaven someday. But there are still many who do not believe
in Jesus, yes they know Jesus but they don’t believe in Jesus. Same as
with the Jews in our gospel who did not believe Jesus when He told them that He
already had seen Abraham and yet they didn’t believe Him they even had the
temerity to throw stone at Him (John 8:57-59).
So what must
we do to those who know Jesus but do not believe or they believe in Jesus but
their belief is in name only? We must therefore bring them closer to Jesus and
to our faith. For example, this coming Holy Week, let us encourage them to
attend the many liturgical celebrations in our respective parishes. For this
surely will strengthen their union with Jesus and the church that He Himself
founded.
Liturgical
celebration such as the Way of the Cross, the Chrism Mass, The institution of
the Eucharist in the afternoon, the Veneration of the Holy Cross during good
Friday and the Easter Vigil Mass during black Saturday. Let us not keep to
ourselves our faith and love for Jesus let us share and live it as well. So
that others may have an awareness of Jesus through us.
Will you be
present in all of the Liturgical celebration this coming Holy Week?
– Marino J. Dasmarinas
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