Reflection for Wednesday April 24 of the Fourth Week of Easter: John 12:44-50

Gospel: John 12:44-50

Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. 

Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak.  And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me.”

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Reflection:

Do you know somebody who is sinful? Don’t give up on that sinful person continue to stretch your patience and pray for his/her conversion. 

There are countless stories of conversion in the scripture/bible and foremost of these is the conversion story of Saul. Saul or Saint Paul was formerly the number one persecutor of the church. He in fact had a hand in the killing of many followers of Jesus yet Jesus did not judge Saul. In His infinite wisdom and mercy Jesus converted Saul/Paul to become the number one propagator of the Christian faith to the gentiles.   

What is the message of these conversion stories for us? The message is, there is hope for all of us no matter how sinful we are. And no matter how grave the sins that we have committed there is still hope for us! Jesus even said: for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world (John 12:47).

Jesus is not interested on the sins that we have committed He is rather very much interested in our conversion so that we can become His follower and soon after partner in His mission. He is interested to bring us to the light so that we can become His light for others.                     

This is our mission in this world to become bearers of Jesus’ light.  Do we open ourselves to this desire of Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas