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Reflect on Jesus' example of obedience to God in today's Gospel and explore how we can follow His path of grace and conviction in our daily lives.

Today's Gospel: John 5:17-30

In today's Gospel, Jesus explains how everything He does is the work intended for Him by the Father, how all of the  miracles, healings, judgments, and signs He is doing are truly the will of God. As Saint Thérèse of Lisieux says, holiness or perfection is simply doing God’s will and being exactly who He wants us to be. Therefore, at the same time that Christ is proclaiming that He is the Son of God, He is also modeling for us what it means to truly be obedient to the Father. Sometimes – most of the time, actually – living this holy obedience will raise a few eyebrows or even cause us to be rejected by those around us. We see that after Jesus healed the man who could not walk, the Jewish people persecuted Him because He did so on the Sabbath. How often does our yes to God require us to accept a similar rejection? Christ’s perfect example calls us into this discomfort, and He models exactly how to do so with grace and conviction as He says,
“I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” John 5:30 
And what a gift the Father has given us, that we may know Him through Christ, as Jesus said to the listeners,
 
“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to his Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” John 5:21-23
Today's Gospel assures us that we can lean on Christ always as our Savior and guide.

 

Ponder:

Christ shared in our humanity, knows our struggles, and is walking with us now. How can I follow the example that Christ gives us in this Gospel, and how can I avoid responding like the crowds did when others do the same?

 

Pray:

Dear Jesus, thank You for being our bridge to the Father, for sharing in our humanity, and for, in Your divinity, giving us a perfect model of love and obedience to the Father’s will. Help us to always remain close to You that we may walk on the right path, and through the big and small daily decisions, continuously give our yes to You.

 

Pray Together:

Make beaded bracelets that say W.W.J.D. (What would Jesus do?) as a reminder for kids, teens, and people of any age to follow Christ’s example in daily decisions.

 


March 18

Copyright 2026 Gabriella Ribeiro

 

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