The Gospel according to John (3:31-36)
The one who comes from above is above all.
The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things.
But the one who comes from heaven is above all.
He testifies to what he has seen and heard,
but no one accepts his testimony.
Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.
For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God.
He does not ration his gift of the Spirit.
The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,
but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life,
but the wrath of God remains upon him.
Reflection:
I was never an exceptional athlete but maybe I could say I was a decent one. As a kid I honed my basketball skills on the courts in a local park near my house in Boyle Heights, now called The Boyle Heights Sport Center and Park. Back then, it was affectionately referred to as “El Hoyo”, in English “The Hole” because of how far below the perimeter sidewalk it was. As I grew, I played in other parks, gyms, and anywhere else we could find a hoop. In that time, I knew when I was out of my league. And, although a humbling experience, it was a reality I could not deny.
I think today’s gospel reminds us that when it comes to our relationship with God, we are out of our league. God is the creator; we are his created. God is divine, we are human. He is the Father; we are his children. Yet despite all of this, we often rebel, ignore the obvious, and take God’s place. We want to be the judge and jury for others or think we know better when it comes to how we can receive the best in life.
It seems clear that Jesus establishes his identity as the divine Son of God. He is the one who comes from above, who comes from heaven and is above all. Yet he does not force himself on us. His motivation is not to conquer with aggression but to invite into relationship through the gift of love. A few verses earlier in this chapter we hear that God sent his only son so we could have the possibility of eternal life. He did not come to condemn but to save us.
We may be earthly but because of God’s love for us and the willing sacrifice of the Son we are also divine. We are brothers and sisters of Jesus and sons and daughters of the Father. We are recipients of the gift of the Spirit which Jesus so generously shares with us. How, with the joy of these gifts can we possibly keep this to ourselves. No, with a gratitude that cannot be contained we are called to take the Good News to all people and all places in our own unique and indelible way.
Action of the day:
In your daily meditation or prayer, consider how far out of our league we are from the Triune God. At the same time give thanks for the infinate generosity of Our Father who closed the gap between heaven and earth when he sent his son to save us. This is an opportunity that no one should miss. What are you going to do to make sure this Good News is heard by the people in your life?
