Daily Gospel Reflection for April 6, 2016

Today's Gospel: John 3, 16-21

John 3:16 is perhaps one of the most powerful verses in Scripture for us to know, that God’s great love for us surpasses even our own sinfulness and brokenness and invites us to return to his open arms for eternity. What wonderful, truly good news!

It is strange then that, almost immediately after that verse, we read that this great light, this beacon of hope, came into the world to save us, but the people preferred the darkness. We prefer darkness. The light of Christ is a healing, abiding, life-giving light, and yet we don’t always let it touch every part of our souls. We don’t always want the light to see or know our whole selves. We hold parts back, hidden, in the shadows, out of fear or shame or doubt, whatever it might be.

But this light is meant to see, meant to know, in order that it might redeem. It will make even the darkest parts radiant and beautiful. It will perfect them, restore them, and sanctify them. It will make us people of the light, our whole selves, leaving nothing but flaming love in its place. But we have to let it. We have to bring those concealed parts of ourselves forward and allow the light to do its work.

Yes, what wonderful, truly good news, if only we have the courage to step out and trust in the power of love, that the broken may be healed and ourselves become true lights for the world!

Ponder:

What parts of my life story do I tend to keep in the shadows? Am I holding back anything from God that needs his touch in order to be able to heal?

Pray:

Awesome God, thank you for sending your Son to be light for the world and to save us from darkness! May we be a people of light, holding nothing back from you and allowing you to transform every part of our being with your love. Give us the courage to be carriers of the light into a world that so desperately needs your healing power and to never forget that the light always conquers the dark! Amen.

Copyright 2016 Brittany Storgaard

I was born and raised in beautiful Colorado. I studied Biblical Theology at the Augustine Institute in Denver, teach high school theology and Spanish, coach girls tennis, and have a beautiful baby girl with my husband of two years!