Whoever keeps My word will never taste death
Published Apr 7, 2022 12:05 am
REFLECTIONS TODAY
We call to mind Peter’s words to Jesus when Jesus asks his disciples, “Do you also want to leave?” Peter replies, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:67-68). When Jesus says that the person who keeps his word will never taste death, we know he is not talking of physical death. Even he himself becomes a victim of this greatest of evils. What he is saying is that when we abide by or keep his word, his teaching, and his commandments, his life remains in us. In a sense, Jesus’ words are like the living water or the “food to eat of which you do not know” that he speaks of in John 4 (v 32). Jesus’ words are life-giving and creative, not unlike the words of the Father who created the world by his word. Keeping Jesus’ words means remaining in him who is life himself. Do we treasure Jesus’ words or just disregard them? Listening to other voices cannot lead us to real life.
GOSPEL • John 8:51-59
Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet 50 years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
We call to mind Peter’s words to Jesus when Jesus asks his disciples, “Do you also want to leave?” Peter replies, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:67-68). When Jesus says that the person who keeps his word will never taste death, we know he is not talking of physical death. Even he himself becomes a victim of this greatest of evils. What he is saying is that when we abide by or keep his word, his teaching, and his commandments, his life remains in us. In a sense, Jesus’ words are like the living water or the “food to eat of which you do not know” that he speaks of in John 4 (v 32). Jesus’ words are life-giving and creative, not unlike the words of the Father who created the world by his word. Keeping Jesus’ words means remaining in him who is life himself. Do we treasure Jesus’ words or just disregard them? Listening to other voices cannot lead us to real life.
GOSPEL • John 8:51-59
Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet 50 years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2022,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.