Right around now, the last two weeks before Easter, it’s not hard to lose our focus on Lent. It’s been about four weeks since Ash Wednesday and human nature being what is it is we can start to trail off in our prayer, fasting and charitable works.
So, today’s gospel from John is perfectly placed on our Lenten journey, our preparation for the great celebration of Easter; in it, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees and now us about His divine origin and mission.
A Tough Warning
He tells them, “I am going away and, and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin.” It sounds pretty tough, but those words are both a warning and invitation are just what they and at times we need.
The religious leaders of Jesus’ time, fall into the trap that any of us can, they fail to understand His words, because their hearts are closed to who Jesus truly is—the Son of God— sent to bring salvation.
In this passage, Jesus emphasizes that He speaks only what the Father has taught Him, and those who listen and believe will have life.
He foretells His Crucifixion when he says, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM.”
It’s here that Jesus echoes God’s divine Name, “I AM” revealing His identity as one with the Father.
A Call to More
At the beginning of this homily I mentioned that this message from Jesus is both a warning and invitation. The warning is obvious. But the invitation isn’t as simple.
For, the invitation comes in the form of Jesus challenging us to look beyond our habitual way of living and thinking. Jesus invites us to examine our hearts—asking if we truly recognize His divine identity and mission.
This isn’t meant to condemn where we are today, but to awaken us to the transformative power of faith. By urging us to “…lift up the Son of Man,” He calls us to acknowledge Him openly and let that recognition reshape our lives.
Looking Deeper
My brothers and sisters, today, Jesus is inviting us to leave behind the delusion of self-sufficiency and embrace our need for salvation, so that we can experience the true freedom and renewal that comes from a sincere and trusting relationship with Jesus.
This passage calls us to examine our faith. To ask, do we truly recognize Jesus as Lord? Are we open to His teachings, even when they challenge us? And, going deeper we can ask ourselves and our family members:
- In what ways do I resist or struggle to understand Jesus’ message?
- Do I seek God’s will in my daily choices as Jesus did?
- And am I praying for myself and my family members to increase my and their trust and surrender to Christ?
As we know, belief in Christ isn’t just about knowledge—it also includes the key elements of surrender, trust, and obedience to Him.
When we place our faith in Jesus, we no longer walk alone or in darkness. He frees us from sin and leads us to eternal life…through the Sacraments, especially through Confession and the Eucharist.
My brothers and sisters, let us lift our eyes to Jesus, and allow His Way, Truth and Life transform our hearts and lives by accepting His invitation with open hearts and minds.
- Father David's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. Usually, you can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark), but today, we had technical difficulties, so the Rosary and Mass are only on Facebook (see the link below). The homily can be found here on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
