The Gospel according to John (10:22-30)
The feast of the Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem.
It was winter.
And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon.
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him,
“How long are you going to keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
Jesus answered them, “I told you and you do not believe.
The works I do in my Father’s name testify to me.
But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep.
My sheep hear my voice;
I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one can take them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all,
and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.”
Reflection:
The “Jews” in today’s Gospel should not have been surprised by Jesus’ words – after all, they *did* tell him to tell them “plainly” if he was the Christ. The rest of the reading today are those “plain” words, and if you read a bit further in this chapter of John’s Gospel, you see how they reacted. Jesus was making “plain” to these “Jews” (most likely, the scholars and Pharisees whom Jesus regularly confronts in the Gospels) exactly what His mission was, but as Jesus Himself says, they did not believe.
I’m reminded of how hard it truly is to be a follower of Jesus in our modern times. We all want instant access to perfect knowledge, and thanks to the Internet, we have access to it anytime, anywhere! What more could we possibly want? God speaks to each one of us in our hearts, pleading with us to walk on the path with Him, shining His light into the world, sharing some of His love. We, on the other hand, are either distracted with the latest internet sensation, or we are listening to one of the multitudes of voices on the Internet, and many of those voices are not telling us things that will draw us close to God.
There are any number of solutions to this problem. On the one hand, you can disconnect from the Internet, go and live in a remote location where none of the media can reach you, and live a life of a hermit. Yes, that is one option, though if you’re like me with responsibilities and family to care for, it’s not a practical solution.
Another solution you can choose is to take time before God each day, and ask Him where you should go on His path, and how you can be an instrument of His Kingdom. Then, wait for His answer. Don’t go to the Internet to see what it suggests. Believe me, if you ask the Internet, you will get an answer, but it’s not likely to be one that is in line with God’s plan for you. Thanks to His Holy Spirit within us, we already have access to the One who knows us in our most deepest parts. Isn’t He the One we should be consulting if we have a question or a dilemma? Oh, and don’t forget that you can ask your brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for you, too. I don’t think even the Internet can stand up to the prayer power of God’s prayer warriors!
Action for the Day:
If you’re facing decisions or confusion about what God wants from you, take time today in quiet to ask Him to help you. Ask one of your faithful friends to pray with you as well. And, if you’re not in a situation of need, take time today to pray that God may use you to help another of your brothers or sisters on the way.
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