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You have within you many strong and cruel enemies to overcome. You must know that there are still a thousand ties which you must break. No one can tell you what they are; only you can tell by looking at yourself and into your heart.
Johannes Tauler (We are all in need of healing, and the Spirit shows us what needs attention, and when. What are you hearing these days?) |
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Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95; Daniel 3:52, 53,
54, 55, 56 Jn 8:31-42
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,
"If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the
truth, and the truth will set you free."
They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham
and have never been enslaved to anyone.
How can you say, 'You will become free'?"
Jesus
answered them, "Amen, amen, I say to you,
everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
A slave does not remain in a household forever,
but a son always remains.
So if the Son frees
you, then you will truly be free.
I know that you are descendants of Abraham.
But you are trying to kill me,
because my word has no room among you.
I tell you what I have seen in
the Father's presence;
then do what you have heard from the Father."
They answered and said to him, "Our father is Abraham."
Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children,
you would be doing the works of Abraham.
But now you are trying to kill me,
a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;
Abraham did not do this.
You are doing the works of your father!"
So they said to him, "We were not born of fornication.
We have one Father, God."
Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me,
for I came from God and am here;
I did not come on my own, but he sent
me." USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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“ ‘We are descendants of Abraham,’ was their answer. ‘Never have we been slaves to anyone. What do You mean by saying, “You will be free” ?’ ” —John
8:33
Lent is an imitation of Jesus in His fasting forty days in the desert and overcoming the temptations from Satan. Satan tempted Jesus to doubt that He was the beloved Son of God the Father (see Mt 3:17; 4:3, 6). If Satan can cause us to doubt our Father’s love for us, then he can manipulate us through bribery or intimidation. If we doubt our Father’s love, then Satan can seduce us to sin and take away our freedom, for “everyone who lives in sin is the slave of sin” (Jn
8:34).
When Jesus proclaimed to the Jews that He would free them, they connected freedom with fatherhood. They said they were already free because Abraham and God were their fathers (Jn 8:39, 41). Jesus agreed with the Jews that freedom was based on being begotten of a free father. (We are fathered into freedom.) However, Jesus denied that the Jews had practically accepted Abraham as their father. We should act like our fathers, and they didn’t act like Abraham (Jn 8:39-40). Jesus also
denied that the Jews had practically accepted God as their Father; if they had, the Jews would have loved Jesus as the Father loved Him (Jn 8:42).
Prayer: Father, set me free from my addictions as I trust in You. Promise: “If the Son frees you, you will really be free.” —Jn 8:36 Presentation Ministries
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CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY AND SPIRITUALITY by James Arraj (all rights reserved) What is Christian morality? It is the
thoughtful reflection on the practical consequences of believing in the Christian mysteries. Christian morality is not just about the laws that flow from the nature of things, but also is concerned with how we actually exist as men and women struggling for redemption. In this way morality has not only an essentialistic dimension, but an existential one, as well. |
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