Coffee With God

Reflection: John 12:44-50

Today we come to the end of what is known as the “Book of Signs” (chaps 1-12) of John’s Gospel. Through these seven signs – Jesus indicated who he is and what his mission is. Today’s passage summarises all that has been said in the previous chapters. The text says that Jesus “cried out,” – giving extra emphasis to what he is proclaiming. They would be words addressed to no one in particular and reflect no particular context. Effectively, they summed up the essence of Jesus’ teaching. Their intended audience was the members of the community of believers of the time of John the Evangelist. Very often, the narrative had spoken of the mission of Jesus as to reveal – the Father to the world. Jesus was the Word of God, the revelation of the mysterious God, in human form – he is the only reliable way human beings can truly know God. To believe in Jesus was to believe in the Father. It implies that there is also a personal commitment to Jesus and his mission. People often suffer from nurturing a worng image of God – where God is understood as a judge, who would scrutinize our every thought, word, and action. He would reward us with heaven or punish us in hell. Today, the Gospel presents the consoling opromise of Jesus: “I do not judge them, because I did not come to pass judgement on the world but to save the world.” Now, the question before is a simple one: In which God do I belive? In a forgiving God or a punishing God? As the revelation of the mystery of God, Jesus enabled people to see in him the divine love of God. He illuminates the mysteries of God while destroying the destructive energy of those who love themselves more than anything else-the darkness. Jesus is the light that takes away the darkness we are surrounded with. He has come to bring salvation, bring wholeness to the world and not condemn it. Yet, the ‘word’ of Jesus is a challenge. It offers us a way of living and relating with God, others, and ourselves. If we choose another way and our lives go downhill, we have only ourselves to blame. But Jesus is always there to lift us. Indeed, salvation is a two-way process. God offers it to us but does not force it on us. The God created you without your consent but cannot save you without your consent. Therefore, the imperative is to listen to the Word and live by his Word.