St. John would have us know from this gospel passage that Jesus, the Truth, the Father, the Life of freedom are all one – they are united by the presence and operation of the complete Trinity: the Father speaks the Word (Jesus) and it is sent forth (spoken) by the working of the Holy Spirit. For those who come to learn this process and believe it the communication channels are open and a real dialogue can occur: God speaking to us, and us speaking back to God our praise and thanks and worship – and our willingness to act!
The problem with the Jewish people in the gospel passage is that they did not buy completely into the process. They grabbed on to their own limited version of what was going on: their own subjective vision of the Truth and refused to let any more information in – therefore, excluding the greatest information of all: the Word of God made Flesh – he could not have any real or lasting impact on them. They used very weak arguments against Jesus, and he very neatly and quickly put them down.
In the first reading today we see how God always sends help to those who are willing to unite their voices with that of Jesus and speak the Truth! Sometimes the environment can be quite scorching as is the moral environment of our secular society these days – but being courageous, committed, faithful Catholics – following the dictates and lead of our rightly formed consciences (the operation of the complete Trinity within us) – we can stand in the midst of the firestorm and be literally ministered to by angels of God – sent by him to comfort us, strengthen us and lead us forward. May we always rejoice in the help God sends – and may we not receive the help in vain – may it translate into Catholic Christian action!
Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance.
Today, if you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts!
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