Tuesday 22 March 2016

Holy Week. 2016 - be “children of light”

22nd March

Francis rejects the world


Scripture John 12: 20-36

20 Now there were certain Greeks amongst those that went up to worship at the feast. 21 These, therefore, came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we want to see Yeshua.” 22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew came with Philip, and they told Yeshua. 23 Yeshua answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there my servant will also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him.
27 “Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But I came to this time for this cause. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
29 Therefore the multitude who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30 Yeshua answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgement of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die. 34 The multitude answered him, “We have heard out of the law that the Messiah remains forever. How do you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up?’ Who is this Son of Man?”
35 Yeshua therefore said to them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness doesn’t overtake you. He who walks in the darkness doesn’t know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light.” Yeshua said these things, and he departed and hid himself from them.


Reflection:

In verse 36, Jesus encourages us to be “children of light”. We can be swamped by the darkness that seems to be all around us. We can become confused into believing, and the world desperately wants to believe, that the light has been extinguished, or is very close to it. This is, of course, not true. The light has not gone out, it is still burning brightly. We see darkness when we take our eyes off the light. Look at the light, and draw strength, courage, confidence and love from its unquenchable source.

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