REFLECTIONS TODAY
The revelation of the Father in Jesus, the coming of the light into the world, elicits two responses. One is faith; the other, incredulity and unbelief. John describes the first reaction—faith in Jesus as revealer of God—as coming to the light (v 21). Those who believe that Jesus is the revealer of God try to internalize and appropriate the meaning of his message. They listen to his words, confess faith in him as the Son of God, and embrace activities through which a believer enters into communion with God through Jesus. These people, Jesus says, “will not be condemned” (v 18). On the other hand, those who persist in their unbelief condemn themselves. By rejecting Jesus, they alienate themselves from a life-giving communion with him. Theirs is a deliberate choice against God in Jesus. They condemn themselves, but they do not know it. Because they are not willing to come to the light who is Jesus, they fail to see the evil of their own incredulity.Gospel • John 3:16-21
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. *Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2023,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]); Website: [http://www.stpauls.ph](http://www.stpauls.ph).*