February 9th - Reflection

John 8:12-30 (NRSV)
Christ the light of the world

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." Then the Pharisees said to him, "You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid." Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf." Then they said to him, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also." He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

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." Then the Jews said, "Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?" He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he." They said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Why do I speak to you at all? 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." They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. 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. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him." As he was saying these things, many believed in him.


Reflection
Jesus knew himself. Jesus knew that he was God. Jesus knew that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit were all the I AM. Jesus had a plan from above, a divine vision that we just can't understand. We seem to get a clue about it when we see Jesus crucified, but we just don't get the full meaning. Try as we may, we need to die also. Die to ourselves to see that love that Jesus demonstrated for us on that cross. Jesus gave himself for us that we may believe in him, the great I AM.

Jesus has no reason to judge us. We are already guilty of sin. But we do have a chance in all this. We have the hope of love and eternal life here in front of us.

Who are you? Jesus is the one sent from the Father to be lifted up and crucified before our very eyes. Jesus is the one to take away the sin of this world. Jesus is our hope for eternal life in him. Jesus is God! Jesus is Light! Jesus is life! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, as you come into my presence, I am humble, yet honored. Show me how to love. Show me how to act out compassion. Show me how to be a light that leads to life in you. Open my mouth that my words may proclaim your glory...today...tomorrow...and forever. --- Amen