A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to John (3:16-21)
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
REFLECTION: Dear brothers and sisters, some of you might agree with me, and we may be dating ourselves, that the first verse in today’s Gospel “John 3:16” is a famous verse. It was displayed by fans in sporting events, mostly football, for everyone to see.
“John 3:16” is still displayed at sporting events today, although it is not nearly as universal, as it was during the 70s and through 90s.
While the iconic homemade signs, held up behind goalposts have decreased, the reference still appears, often on an athlete’s eye in black (famously by Tim Tebow). It is also seen now in social media trends and occasional fan signs.
The peak of the trend was driven by Rollen Stewart, known as the “Rainbow Man,” who attended hundreds of events. His absence and tighter stadium security regulations regarding signs caused the massive, frequent display of the verse to fade, but it never fully stopped. Recently, I also discovered that it is often called the “Bible in a nutshell.” It is called that, because it is a profound declaration of love: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” Yet, this profound declaration of love, and comforting promise in John 3:16, is not all. It is followed by a challenging truth, about light and darkness.
Jesus tells us today “…the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.” He is challenging us to do a self-examination of our own lives: Do we truly live in the light, or are we comfortable living in the darkness?
Some of you may have watched the television series called The Chosen. One of my favorite scenes from the early episodes, is when Nicodemus decides to meet with Jesus. However, he chooses to do it in the dark of night. He did not want to be in the light, for fear to be seen with Jesus and thus loose his reputation, status, and position among the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin, as he was a respected teacher who feared the social and political consequences of associating with a controversial figure.
Nicodemus was deeply curious and believed Jesus was sent by God, but he was hesitant and cautious, seeking answers in secret to avoid being seen as a follower of Jesus, by his peers.
Often, we are like Nicodemus, coming to Jesus at night—looking for truth, but afraid to let our whole selves be seen. We want God’s love (John 3:16), but we don’t want to expose our selfishness, our secrets, or our brokenness, to the light.
But the Good News tells us today, that Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. If you feel you are hiding in darkness, the invitation from today’s Good News is, to let the light in.
ACTION FOR THE DAY: Reflect on today’s Good News, and ask God for the grace, to stop running from the light, to confess what is hidden, and to step into the glowing truth of God’s love. It is easier said than done, I know, believe me, I’ve been there. Exposing these areas, requires vulnerability, repentance, and the removal of self-reliant masks. But with God’s help, His light will overcome our darkness, and we will receive the grace and healing, that God’s Light actually offers.
AUDIO REFLECTION:
