John 8, 31-42

March 29, 2023 (Wednesday)
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, 31-42
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say? You will become free?” Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits
sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So, if a son frees you, then you will truly be free. I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.” They
answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father!” (So) they said to him, “We are not illegitimate. We have one Father, God.”
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.

Reflection:
Discussion between Jesus and the people about His identity led to Jesus declaring Himself as the Truth, and those who believed in Him would in fact know and understand what he was saying. Jesus gave a spiritual meaning for the concept of slavery. Accordingly, everyone who practiced sin is a slave to sin and so cannot really be free. As slaves the sinners could not stay in the Father’s House, unless the Son delivers them from their slavery. When the Jews proudly claimed their lineage to Abraham, Jesus told them that true ancestral claims depend on how they followed Abraham and his Faith in God. Abraham was noted for his faith and openness to God. If they were his offspring, they would believe in Jesus who was sent from God. By rejecting and trying to murder Jesus they were proving that the devil rather than God and Abraham was their father (V 41 -44). When we sin we forfeit our identity as God’s children? Only the Saviour Son can set us free and reinstate us permanently in God’s house, as in the case of the prodigal son. On our part, we need to retain within ourselves the hard-won freedom of the sons of God. Living the sonship is not a onetime privilege, but a daily commitment to follow Jesus and His teachings. “Truth is bitter and difficult to digest,” is an old adage. The human tendency is to make compromises in expressing the Truth as it is. Jesus stood His ground while proclaiming the truth, declaring that He was the truth itself. He said, “Know the truth and the truth will set you free.” While standing before Pilate with clear understanding that He would be condemned to crucifixion, Jesus never flinched a bit in declaring that he had come to earth to witness to truth. How much are we truthful?

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 abide in God’s truthfulness and experience in our lives the liberating power in it. Let us allow ourselves to be heralds of the truth in our word and deed in our everyday living.

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