Daily Gospel Reflection for April 8, 2014

Today's Gospel: John 8:21-30

“But the one who sent me is true ...” (John 8:26)

This one short sentence, in the midst of these nine verses in John, gives me great comfort.

I believe in God, the creator of the world! I’ve believed in Him all of my life. God is true. Who God is, is true; what God does is true; everything about God is nothing but true. Now more than ever, we need what is true. And therefore, we need God.

But there is something about Jesus’ words that make God’s existence even more true and certainly more personal.

In these words, I find comfort, because God sent Jesus out of love. Love for you and love for me (John 3:16). And that love makes God more than the creator of the universe. That love makes God your Father and mine.

Since God sent Jesus out of love for us, you can be sure Jesus is going to make God’s love known. “... I say only what the Father taught me” (28).

Jesus makes God’s love known to us by calling God the intimate, relational title of  “Father” over 130 times in the Gospels. It is no coincidence either that in the Nicene Creed, we profess God as “Father” six times (Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious, pages 49 and 51). This short Gospel passage of nine verses refers to God as “Father” twice.

“To reveal the name of the Father is, in a sense, the whole reason why the Word became flesh,” writes Fr. Michael Gaitley in his book The ‘One Thing’ is Three.

When Jesus talks about God the Father He shows us how close they are. “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30).

In today’s Gospel, He says that “the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him” (29).

Jesus shows us God the Father’s intimacy with Him, because Jesus wants us to know that their closeness overflows to us. Through Baptism, we become part of God’s family, and therefore, God wants to be close to us, too. God is with us! He doesn’t leave us alone. Ever.

When I feel lonely or abandoned, I am comforted in knowing that God is always there and always will be there. He loves me. He loves you. He is our Father. And He sent Jesus to reveal His fatherhood to us.

Ponder:

Take a few moments today and reflect on God the Father’s love for you. What are signs in your life that He has revealed to show you His love?

Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me. Thank You for sending Jesus to show me and teach me Your great love. Help me to draw close to You today and feel Your nearness. Amen.

Copyright 2014 Sarah Damm