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Gospel Reading for April 10, 2025 – John 8: 51-59
DAMPEN OUR SPIRITS
Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.
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Jesus was always misunderstood by the Jews who had a very myopic view of God, but he persisted speaking about himself and his relationship with the Father. He had to, because it was not just for the Jews but for those who would be Christianized by his disciples after he had left. If the Jews did not understand or refused to understand, there will be many others like us, who will be able to understand. In Matthew 20: 16, Jesus says, “Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
There will be times when we try to make people understand our relationship with God and they will not understand or refuse to understand. This should not DAMPEN OUR SPIRITS, because there will always be someone who will benefit from our sharing. We should not be ashamed to tell the whole world how God loves us! A lot of people will benefit from just knowing this.
Lord Jesus, may we always live in the light of your Spirit!
