Daily Gospel Reflection for April 30, 2025

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: John 3:16-21

One of my favorite childhood memories is visiting my grandmother. Seeing her was lovely, but the real treat was that she had an epic basement with no windows. To this day, I don’t think I’ve ever been in such darkness. I could wave my hand in front of my face and not see anything. My brothers and I would spend hours down there playing hide and seek in the pitch black.

At the most inopportune times, my mother would crack open the door at the top of the stairs and call down to us. We would all groan because as soon as the door opened, the game was ruined. Even the smallest stream of light from the door cast enough illumination to reveal the best hiding spots.

When I spent hours in that darkness, just a sliver of light hurt my eyes. That experience comes to mind when I meditate on today’s Gospel. Jesus is the light at the top of the stairs, descending into the darkness where we are. When we first encounter His beams, it can be blinding, staggering, and overwhelming.

We get the choice to either join Him in the light or slink deeper into our hiding place. Sometimes we have spent so much time in the darkness that the light seems scary and overwhelming. When that happens, we must always remember that Jesus came down into the darkness not to condemn us for our past sins, but rather to save us and welcome us into His kingdom. All we have to do is go to the light.

Ponder:

What does it mean for me to live in the light and not have anything shrouded in darkness?

Pray:

Jesus, You are the light of the world. Call me always to live a life more fully illuminated by You.

Copyright 2025 Maria Riley