THE WORD
Ac 12,24-13,5 / Jn 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.
IN OTHER WORDS
What is this that God would like to enter into the life of the world, that he even finds ways to make himself closer to the lives of the people? The gospel relates how God revealed himself to us through Jesus and how Jesus would like to instill in our minds and hearts that the Father in heaven sent Him and seeing Him is also seeing the Father. Hearing his Words is believing in him and everything he says are the Words of the Father. Thus, his coming is Light to our lives.
This is good news, that in Jesus Christ, God is not a distant person, He is a God with whom we can speak to, we can know, and we can tangibly establish a close and personal relationship with.
Wonderful revelation indeed from Jesus. This revelation of Jesus and his purpose in coming to us may also be a call to a renewal of our faith: How far have we gone with our believing in Jesus? Is our faith in Him still of value? In as much as Jesus assures us light in our Faith, His light is hope to our day to day life. As the light gives brightness to our way, our faith in him gives a direction towards how we are to live a joyful and meaningful life.
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.”
- Fr. Ronilo T. Borja, SVD | SVD, Retreat House, Baguio City
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
