And he doesn't want that to happen.
Click here for today's Gospel and Readings (Jerusalem Bible text).
Today's Gospel teaches us that God the Father gives testimony to Jesus. The Father gives 4 different ways of witness to Jesus:
1. John's testimony to the Truth, who is Jesus, himself. (Jn 5:33-34)
Man testifying to God-made-Man. God has not seek human testimony for us to believe in Him. Yet, he allows it to be used for others to believe and for our salvation.
2. The works the Father gave to Jesus. (Jn 5:36)
Through the works of Jesus--all the preaching, healing, miracles--God the Father says time again: "This is my Beloved Son, listen to him'.
3. The Father, who sent Jesus, his Son, testifies on Jesus' behalf. (Jn 5:37-38)
Our belief in Jesus is affirmed by the Father: "Believe in him because I sent him".
4. The Scriptures testify to Jesus. (Jn. 5:39-40)
The written word of God gives testimony to the Living Word. The Scriptures only bears testimony to who Jesus is that we may believe and come to him for life.
Now, the case for Moses. In the First Reading, we find Moses pleading to God for the people that God's wrath may be averted from the Israelites, and through Moses' intercession, the Lord relented. From that, I believe that as Moses got down from where he is, he immediately tell all of Israel what happened between God's threat of disaster and Moses intercession. And Moses telling the people to believe in God.
If we don't believe, our Blessed Lord says that it is not him who will accuse us of it, but Moses. If we don't believe, those who directed us to Jesus, will accuse us of our unbelief. For sure, Moses does not want us to only believe in him and then that's it. He wants us to believe in whom he believes: GOD. And the same goes for all the angels, saints, and to our Blessed Virgin Mary. All of them--the angels, saints, and Blessed Mary--wants us to believe in Jesus; all of them directs us and points us to Jesus.
And so do the One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church.
The MASS, the highest form of worship in the Catholic Church, directs us to Jesus.
Because the Eucharist is Jesus himself: body, blood, soul, and divinity.
Believe. There is nothing to lose. Yet, so much to gain.
+
The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of Heaven and Earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
Who was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Most Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.
+
No comments:
Post a Comment