Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

“My Father is working still, and I am working.”

Jesus answered the Jews: “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him, because He not only broke the Sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself. And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.”

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus makes it quite clear that he is the Son of God sent to give us life. Jesus said to his disciples, “Amen, amen, (or in some translations Truly, truly) I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also.” Jesus not only claims to be the Son of God, but has demonstrated His great power by healing the sick and freeing people from the demons that possess their lives. Jesus even raised a person from the dead to show the people of Israel that he has power over death. But most importantly, Jesus tells us, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life.” If we desire eternal life with God, then we need to commit ourselves to the word of God. Jesus tells us that the day is coming when “all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation.” When you face your judgment, where is it that you want to go? The decisions we make today will decide our eternal fate. It is up to you. Lent is a time to refocus our path and to give our life to God. Jesus sets the example. He tells us that “the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing...” This is what he expects of us. He expects us to follow the example set by Christ. He tells us that we must be willing to sacrifice our lives for others. New life comes to those who yield to the way of Christ.

A Simple Prayer

Father God, you sent your son as my example.

Give the strength to follow his way.

Fill me with your grace so that I may be a servant to others.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon