Faith Daily | 5 April 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p 490

We thank you, heavenly Father,

that you have delivered us from the power of darkness

and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:

we pray that

as by his death he has recalled us to life,

so by his presence abiding in us he may raise us

to joys eternal;

through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen

GOSPEL for the Day: John 8: 21-30

Jesus foretells his death

21 Again he said to them, “I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 Then the Jews said, “Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 He said to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.”[a] 25 They said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Why do I speak to you at all?[b] 26 I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” 27 They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. 29 And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Allan Bell

The heading on this piece of scripture is much simpler than the ideas expressed in Jesus’ words.

As well as foretelling his death, Jesus defines himself as one who is above and beyond our experiences. This man is going where we cannot go. He is not of this world. He was sent by the true Father to speak for Him who is with him to the end and beyond.

Yet he was in the world and while in the world Jesus was steadfastly obedient to his Father. He teaches that God is true and constant and will never leave us. Even to the point of death by crucifixion Jesus did what is required by God.

Many believed in him both then and now. We have the benefit of the testimony of who those who witnessed his death (“lifted up”), those who saw and encountered the resurrected Christ, those who realized that this was indeed the Messiah.

To my mind what Jesus is describing here, like much of the Easter mystery, is definitely not of this world though it occurred in it.

FINAL PRAYER:

I think what Jesus is asking of us in this passage is to:

Believe in Jesus and the Father.

Strive to die to sin, so as not to die in our sins.

Always do what is pleasing to Him whatever the earthly cost. Am