Sometimes when a child misbehaves continuously, especially in public places at some point, a parent may give a serious look that indicates to the child you have to stop what you are doing. It is time to change that. It is a sign that the child's behavior is no longer tolerated. In the Gospel today Jesus is no longer giving the serious warning eye but is spilling out the beans. He seems tough and tired of people's disbelief.
He indicates to the listeners that his journey to the Father is near by saying, ‘I am going away.’ and the people will have the urge to be with Him, but He won’t be found. This resembles the urge of repentance and change as we read in Isaiah 55:6 ‘seek the Lord while he may be found, call to him when is near.’ Jesus is telling them recognize me now as your messiah. Remember in the previous texts He had just taught them is the ‘bread of life,’ and ‘the light of the world.’ Therefore, in His absence there is darkness which is evil and sin.
Now the lack of believe in Jesus will cost eternal death. The lack of renewal, repentance and change is cost of death. The reason he tells the people you will die in your sin. Jesus indicates the death in sin as human choice not God’s will. Ironically, they think He going to kill himself-the death on the Cross was Sacrifice for salvation. We hear these words ‘beyond the lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world;’ The Lamb who sacrifices Himself for others. A shepherd who lays down his life for His sheep.
The ‘believe’ in John Gospel serves as strong choice between death and life. If you believe then you have life eternally and vice versa. Here Jesus emphasizes that ‘believing’ is looking at Him and accepting Him as Lord. That is, acknowledging His Divinity. That why He says, ‘if you do not believe that I AM.’ I AM as we know was the name of YWHW given to Moses at the burning bush. God told Moses, ‘Go and tell the people of Israel, I AM WHO I AM (Ex 3:4).’ This Divinity links Jesus to the Father and He asserts the Father has never left Him. Remember it is only through JESUS that we reach God the Father.
But as John asserts in other texts, His hour had not arrived yet. The hour that He will be lifted up. The time of His crucifixion, death, resurrection and ascension, when He will draw all to him. This is resemblance of the Serpent that Moses lifted up for the people of Isreal in desert and were healed from the poison of the snakes but in Jesus their eternal redemption.
For us who believe we have an advantage of recognizing Jesus Divinity and real presence especially in the Eucharist. But also, it is a reminder that through the Cross we have been healed. Through the sign of the Cross we are set free. But this is actualized by believing where through waters of baptism we are made newborns and heirs of God’s Kingdom. In life there will be always a choice between life or death, sin or repentance. Let the Cross remind us of the power of acknowledging we have sinned and obtain the grace of healing.