Abraham died and the prophets as well, but you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never
experience death.’ Who do you claim to be? Do you claim to be greater than our father
Abraham, who died? And the prophets who also died?” Then Jesus said, “If I were to praise
myself, it would count for nothing. But he who gives glory to me is the Father, the very one
you claim as your God, although you don’t know him. I know him, and if I were to say that
I don’t know him, I would be a liar like you. But I know him and I keep his word. As for
Abraham, your ancestor, he looked forward to the day when I would come; and he
rejoiced when he saw it.” The Jews then said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and
you have seen Abraham?” And Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
They then picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the temple.
Reflect
“Love and goodness.” We are called to use words to communicate goodness and love
that we might become God’s instruments of salvation in the world today. In the Gospel
of John, Jesus is presented as God’s eternal Word who is also the full expression of the
Father’s love and goodness. The divine love and goodness, which God always
communicates, has always been there from the beginning. Love and goodness are
profoundly connected with God’s divine name, the “I am,” which Jesus invoked in
today’s Gospel. People were angry because Jesus appeared to associate himself with
God’s divine name, implying his divine sonship. Those people who wanted to stone Jesus
could not accept Jesus’ words because their own understanding of their innate goodness
was blurred. People who could no longer express their innate goodness are considered to
be spiritually dead. However, those who communicate their love and goodness from within
are spiritually alive. As Jesus’ followers, we must keep Jesus’ words while being challenged
to utter words that mirror our innate goodness.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2024