Daily Gospel Reflection for April 1, 2020

Reflection by Kaye Park Hinckley Today's Gospel: John 8:31-42 Jesus, as a Jew Himself, argues with the Jews. Are they really His disciples when they do not listen to His teachings? He tells them His word is truth and comes from God the Father, so to be His disciples, the Jews must open themselves to God’s love by loving Him as God’s Son. In their counter-argument, the Jews first give a self-righteous defense of their religion by claiming that Abraham is their father, so they follow him. But since Jesus knows they are trying to kill Him, He infers that the Jews are following Satan rather than Abraham. Then the Jews shift and say that the only father they have is God. Again, Jesus counters with the fact that if God were their father they would love God’s son. Jesus wants to lead them to the truth, but they prideful and are not ready to accept it. They see Jesus as a threat to the sort of life they are living, and are looking for a way to get rid of His teaching. So many times, we are the same. When God’s law advocates something we do not want to hear, we argue that our way is the right way, with our intention being to carry on in our sins, despite God’s law. Of course, this does not make us free, but captives of our own sins. We are slaves rather than free men and women born to be obedient children of the supreme God.

Ponder:

Will I get rid of what is in my life that is not of God in order to be truly free?

Pray:

Lord, close my ears to Satan’s voice and open them only to Your Word.

Copyright 2020 Kaye Park Hinckley Kaye Park Hinckley is the author of seven novels and a short story collection, the 2018 and the 2019 Independent Press Award Winner for Religious Fiction, and a finalist for the 2019 American Fiction Award. She is the mother of five and grandmother of thirteen. Find her on Amazon and at her blog. Receive CatholicMom.com newsletters in your inbox, including the Daily Gospel Reflection each morning! * indicates required