Gospel
Jn 5:31-47
Jesus said to the Jews:
"If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.
But there is another who testifies on my behalf,
and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true.
You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth.
I do not accept human testimony,
but I say this so that you may be saved.
He was a burning and shining lamp,
and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light.
But I have testimony greater than John's.
The works that the Father gave me to accomplish,
these works that I perform testify on my behalf
that the Father has sent me.
Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf.
But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
and you do not have his word remaining in you,
because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent.
You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have eternal life through them;
even they testify on my behalf.
But you do not want to come to me to have life.
"I do not accept human praise;
moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.
I came in the name of my Father,
but you do not accept me;
yet if another comes in his own name,
you will accept him.
How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another
and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father:
the one who will accuse you is Moses,
in whom you have placed your hope.
For if you had believed Moses,
you would have believed me,
because he wrote about me.
But if you do not believe his writings,
how will you believe my words?"
Reflection
"I do not accept human praise;
moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.
I came in the name of my Father,
but you do not accept me;
yet if another comes in his own name,
you will accept him.
How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another
and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God?
I read this over and over. I love it. I want to be like Jesus and seek the praise that comes from God.
In reality, I do love it when I receive compliments. Is praising the work of another person bad? Does praising each other separate us from the love of God?
The context of who Jesus was talking to was the Jews. And the tension was intense between them and Jesus, because they were having a hard time believing what He was saying. There are people today who have a hard time believing what Jesus is saying in the Gospel. The Truth can be hard to swallow, especially when a person thinks they know the Truth when in fact they really do not. For example, St. Paul really thought he was doing good by killing the Christians. It took a conversion to help him see the Truth.
It seems that the Jews like to give each other praise and they are not open to learning. Do I take the time to listen to Jesus' words and seek the praise that comes from God?
There is a quote from a philosopher named Arnobius that says, "To praise God in our lives means all we do must be for his glory."
Only through the Holy Spirit will we be able to have the courage and strength to do all for the glory of God. Here is a prayer to the Holy Spirit. God bless you.
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