John 8, 21-30

March 28, 2023 (Tuesday)
Let us all remember that we are in the Holy Presence of God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

John 8, 21-30
Jesus said to the Pharisees: “I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come. “So, the Jews said, “He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, Where I am going you cannot come?” He said to them, “You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your
sins.” So, they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world.” They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father. So, Jesus said (to them), “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him.” Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.

Reflection:
As the feast of the Passover drew close during the third year of Jesus’ ministry, the animosity of the Jews fueled up by the religious leaders also grew, and Jesus was very well aware of the developments taking place against Him. He all the more went about speaking about His status as the Son of God, destined to liberate the world from its bondage to sinfulness. The Pharisees question the validity of His testimony, to which Jesus claims the Father as a corroborating witness (V 13 -18). John in his Gospel portrays as the embodiment and fulfilment of the Scriptures and the light coming into the world (Jn 1: 4-5). Jesus is light and acts according to the principles of light, while His opponents are in the dark and they act accordingly. Self –righteousness results in spiritual blindness and prevents from recognizing one’s sinfulness. Such a person needs to submit oneself to be freed by the Son. To reject Jesus and His teachings is to remain ignorant of God and of God’s ways. He told the Jews that when they lifted Him up to death on the Cross, they would realize His status with the Father in heaven. Jesus’ glorification after His resurrection from the dead would serve as the definitive proof of His claim to be light of the world, and the Son of God. Jesus insists that the root of the problem is that the general crowd of the Jews really does not know Him or the Father. Indeed, they do not do so because they are from below with all accompanying ignorance and limitations, while Jesus is from above (V 19-24). Only by believing in Jesus can one be saved. A personal reading and deep reflection in prayer can foster true faith in Jesus. Christian faith is not time- pass, or a mere Sunday practice, but a daily recurring experience. Jesus and His teachings need to become part and parcel of one’s daily life. Conviction in Jesus as the Son of God need to permeate all events of life, both in joy and in sorrow.

Lasallian Guiding Principle:
LGP states that, “Every individual needs to be constantly exposed to or immersed in the pressing social problems to which we subsequently aim to contribute a resolution.” As Lasallians, we need to kindle our faith in God and not to die in sin because of unbelief. Let us imitate the ways of Jesus in our everyday lives.

Prayer:
Synod on Synodality Prayer

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, Make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.

St. John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us.

St. Miguel Febres Cordero, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sources:
C. (n.d.). Daily Gospel. Retrieved June 22, 2020, from https://dailygospel.org/M/AM/DLSU ITS, DLSU STRATCOM, DLSU IRPA. (n.d.). Guiding Principles of the Philippine Lasallian Family.
Retrieved June 22, 2020, from http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/inside/lasallian-guiding-principles/default.asp

Prepared by Pratik, Sati D., College of Humanities and Sciences- BS Biochemistry Student, through the DLSMHSI Lasallian Mission and Linkages and Advancement, Campus Ministry, and Chaplaincy

Our Daily Lasallian Gospel, Prayer and Reflection is a DLSMHSI gift to the Lasallian family for the 2019 Celebration of the Year of Vocation and the Tercentenary celebration of the death of our founder SJBDLS.
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https://www.dlshsi.edu.ph/daily-lasallian-reflection-prayer #300LaSalle