From the holy Gospel according to
John Chapter 8, verses 12 to 20
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| JESUS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Image from catholicebookauthor.wordpress.com |
Jesus spoke to them again, saying,
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
So the Pharisees said to him, "You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified."
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from and where I am going. You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone. And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. [12-16]
So the Pharisees said to him, "You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified."
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified, because I know where I came from and where I am going. But you do not know where I came from and where I am going. You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone. And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid, because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me. [12-16]
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The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
Personal Reflection on the Reading
Sharing for the Day
"You are the light of the world." [Matthew 5:14a]
Jesus our Lord is the light of the world which the darkness of the world was not able to overcome [see John 1:5]. He remained faithful to the Father and even when He was tempted to avoid the cup of suffering, His faithfulness and obedience to the will of God strengthened Him so that the darkness of such temptation did not prevail.
This very same light shares His brightness with us and so calls us as light of the world too. We are not the light - even John the Baptizer was only sent to testify about the Light, he was not the Light himself [see John 1: 6-9] - how much more we who cannot even equal the greatness of the Baptizer. We are mere instruments of the Light who is the Lord Jesus Christ. without Him there would only be darkness in us and we would not be able to lead others to the true Light. But thanks be to God, through the obedience of the Lord, we became sharers of His light and we are able to brighten up the path of those who wish to follow the Lord.
We become light only when we conform to the Light, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. There are those who conform instead to the world and they walk in darkness. The world in turn tries to duplicate the Light through fake lights: bright sparkling light which still leads to darkness and not to the true Light.
We must be sharers of the true Light. We must lead others to the true Light so that they may become lights themselves and they will be able to lead more to the Lord. Let our lives be our testimonies to the Light so that others may see and walk along the path brightened up by our light which is enlightened by the only true Light, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Application of the Message
[1] Prayer
Pray that you may become a true light in accordance to the Light who is our Lord Jesus Christ.
[2] Abstinence
Abstain from something that leads you to darkness.
[3] Almsgiving
What can you share so that someone else may be inspired to become light to others?
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