REFLECTIONS TODAY
Knowing Jesus is one of the important challenges posed by the Gospel of John.
Knowledge of Jesus leads to faith, and faith in Jesus leads to life (17:3).
In today’s Gospel passage, people are divided as to how they are going to relate to Jesus. They are divided because of the words they heard from Jesus.
What makes it difficult for some and what enables others to receive Jesus’ words?
Knowledge accompanied by faith is what enables us to receive Jesus’ words and be transformed by it.
The first step is to know Jesus more through the Scriptures and let such knowledge strengthen our faith. It might be the case of having enough information about Jesus but remaining to be people of little faith.
Jesus invites us to enter into a deeper relationship with him—knowing him not only in the level of information but also in the level of a relationship.
Do we want to grow in our knowledge of Jesus? Is our knowledge of Jesus only on the level of information? Does what we know of Jesus deepen our faith?
First Reading • Jer 11:18-20
I knew their plot because the Lord informed me; at that time you, O Lord, showed me their doings.
Yet I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter, had not realized that they were hatching plots against me:
“Let us destroy the tree in its vigor; let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will be spoken no more.”
But, you, O Lord of hosts, O just Judge, searcher of mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause!
Responsorial Psalm • Ps 7
“O Lord, my God, in you I take refuge.”
Gospel • John 7:40-53
Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said, “This is truly the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?
Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?”
So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.
So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?”
The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.” So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived?
Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.”
Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, “Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?”
They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” Then each went to his own house.
Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2025,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.