15-Apr-15

Gospel JN 3:16-21
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
Reflection:
"And this is the verdict."
A verdict is a judgement that is arrived at after serious debate or examination of a circumstance.
The general opinion is the Gospel of John was written around the year 100 AD, about seventy years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.
Fair to say, seventy years is a lifetime.
So, after a lifetime of debate of the issue, the verdict is that with Jesus "the light came into the world."
John goes on to define the works of "light" as being of God and "darkness" as being the works of evil.
In God, there is no darkness only light.
However, in us, there is both light and darkness.
God bestowed on us the great gift of "free will."
My daily challenge is to decide whether I will move toward the light or toward the darkness.
My goal, of course, is to make decisions in keeping with "the light."
But, because I am weak, all to often I make decisions of the darkness. I give in to anger, resentment, selfishness, pride, envy, and a host of other human faults.
These choices have a profound affect and determine whether my soul is in a state of light or darkness.
I try to make decisions "of the light," but in truth, I have been neither completely light or dark but a vacillating shade of grey.
Being human and imperfect, I will never become pure light while on this earth.
My hope is I will make decisions resulting in my becoming the lightest shade of grey possible because "God is light" and there is no room in Heaven for darkness.
As to the "grey" that remains, I live in confidence that Christ died for my sins. I trust that through His mercy, my loving God will forgive my failings and bring me into His everlasting "light."

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16