Reflect on the identity of Jesus in today's Gospel and explore its significance in your faith journey with insights from Deacon Pedro Guevara-Mann.
Today's Gospel: John 8:21-30
“Who are you?” That’s the question that the Pharisees ask Jesus in today’s Gospel. He’s been doing miracles; He has just forgiven the woman caught in adultery. Earlier, He fed the multitudes and the disciples saw Him walk on water. He’s clearly drawing attention. But more than these signs, He has hinted at being the Messiah. The Pharisees understood that He was making Himself equal to God so they tried to arrest Him. Jesus says that He does not belong to this world and that He does nothing on His own but says only what the Father has taught Him. He doesn’t quite say that He is God, but He comes very close. Later in the Gospel of John, He will say, “The Father and I are one” (John 10:30).
What really gives it away is that Jesus says, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM…” This is one of the many times that Jesus says “I AM”: I am the bread of life (John 6:35); I am the light of the world (John 8:12); I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25), to name a few. “I AM” is the sacred name of God that God gives Moses on Mt. Sinai: “This is what you will tell the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14).
Jesus is God. Many heard Him say these words while He walked on earth and believed; many others didn’t believe. Some, who didn’t believe, came to believe after He was lifted high; many did not. Today, also, many believe but many do not.
Maybe you believe that Jesus was a good man, a good prophet, a good teacher who left us good life lessons. If so, then nothing matters. Nothing is of consequence. But if Jesus is who He says He is – everything matters; everything has meaning.
Ponder:
Who do you believe Jesus is? Do you believe that Jesus is God? If Jesus is God, what changes?
Pray:
Who are You, Jesus? I want to believe that You are God. Help me truly believe. Open my heart to understand what a beautiful mystery it is that You became a human being so that we could know You and be known by You.
Pray Together:
Spend time with Jesus in His Word. Say a prayer asking for guidance before you open one of the Gospels and let Jesus reveal Himself to you. Let Him tell you who He is.
Copyright 2026 Deacon Pedro Guevara-Mann
Deacon Pedro is Senior Producer at Salt + Light Media in Canada. He is ordained for the Archdiocese of Toronto.
.png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)"){kind=logo}
Comments