Daily Gospel Reflection for April 2, 2014

Today's Gospel: John 5:17-30

In today's Gospel reading from John, we read about Jesus calling God his "father". Answering the Jews, Jesus says, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” This, of course, angers them, to the extent that they want to kill Jesus. He goes on to clarify repeatedly that he can only do what God, his father, wants him to do. Jesus goes on to share about the amazing things that God, the father, will do through him. While we know that nothing we can do will ever merit the salvation we have through Jesus Christ, today's passage does place an emphasis on the doing of good deeds and upon coming to know God through his son, Jesus Christ. And just as Jesus shares in John's gospel that he comes to do the will of God, who sent him, we are reminded to act in word and deed according to God's will for our lives.

Ponder:

How often I desire to better know God's will and to do it. I'm reminded in today's passage that most of what I need to know -- the answers to the questions of faith that are in my heart -- come to me in prayerfully reading the gospels. God sent his son, Jesus Christ, that we might better know and love God by his example and his teachings.

Prayer:

Jesus Christ, son of God, I praise you for the remarkable path you have shown me. May I continue to believe that you are truly the son of God. May my belief in you inspire acts of service that show your love to the world around me.

Copyright 2014 Lisa M. Hendey