March 21 2024 – Bible Verse of the Day – Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent – Whoever Keeps My Word Will Never See Death – John 8:51-59
51 Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.”
52 So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ – John 8:51-59
Catholic Readings For Today
Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Today’s Bible Verse of the Day Reflections
In John 8:51-59, Jesus makes a profound statement about eternal life, declaring that anyone who keeps his word will never see death.
This assertion goes beyond the temporal understanding of life and death, pointing to a spiritual truth that transcends our physical existence.
It challenges us to reflect on the nature of the life that Jesus offers – a life that extends beyond the limitations of this world.
The Jews respond with skepticism and confusion, focusing on Abraham as their father and questioning how Jesus could have known Abraham.
In response, Jesus boldly claims, “Before Abraham was, I am,” using the divine name “I am” that God revealed to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). This statement is a clear declaration of Jesus’ preexistence and his divine nature.
The Jews in the passage struggled to comprehend Jesus’ words, and their response was using words like, “Now we are sure that you are possessed” and “Who do you make yourself out to be?”. They even went ahead to pick up stones to stone him.
This reveals the tension and opposition that Jesus often faced from those who refused to accept his claims. It reminds us that following Jesus may involve facing resistance or misunderstanding from others.
It’s hard to imagine anything worse that could be said about Jesus. Did they really think He was possessed by the evil one? It appears so.
What a sad and bizarre thing to say about the Son of God. Here is God Himself, in the person of Jesus, offering a promise of eternal life.
He reveals the sacred Truth that obedience to His Word is the pathway to eternal happiness and that everyone needs to know this Truth and live it.
Jesus speaks this freely and openly, but the response from some hearing this message is deeply disappointing, slanderous, and malicious.
It’s hard to know what was going on in their minds to cause them to say such a thing. Perhaps they were jealous of Jesus, or perhaps they were just seriously confused.
Whatever the case may be, they spoke something that was seriously damaging.
The damage of such a statement was not so much toward Jesus; rather, it was damaging to themselves as well as to those around Him.
Jesus could personally handle whatever was spoken about Him, but others could not. It is important to understand that our own words can do great damage to ourselves and to others.
First of all, their words did damage to themselves. By speaking such an erroneous statement publicly, they start down the path of obstinacy.
It takes great humility to retract such a statement in the future. So it is with us.
When we verbalize something that is damaging toward another, it’s hard to retract it. It’s hard to later apologize and mend the wound we have caused.
The damage is primarily done to our own heart in that it’s hard to let go of our error and humbly move forward. But this must be done if we want to undo the damage.
Secondly, this comment also did damage to those who were listening. Some may have rejected this malicious statement but others may have pondered it and started to wonder if in fact Jesus was possessed.
Thus, seeds of doubt were sown. We must all realize that our words affect others and we must strive to speak them with the utmost care and charity.
Reflect, today, upon your own speech. Are there things you have spoken to others that you now realize were erroneous or misleading? If so, have you sought to undo the damage by retracting your words and apologizing?
Reflect, also, upon the fact that it’s easy to be drawn into the malicious conversation of others. Have you allowed yourself to be influenced by such conversations? If so, resolve to silence your ears to such errors and look for ways to speak the truth.
This passage prompts us to consider our own understanding of Jesus’ identity. Do we see him merely as a historical figure, or do we recognize him as the eternal Son of God?
Jesus challenges us to go beyond a superficial knowledge and embrace a deep, personal relationship with him. Believing in Jesus means acknowledging his divinity and submitting to his teachings.
As we reflect on John 8:51-59, let us ponder the profound truth of Jesus’ statement about eternal life, embrace his divine identity, and be willing to face any opposition or misunderstanding that may come our way as we boldly proclaim our faith in him.
A Story: Modern-Day Parable: Jesus Christ the Unseen Gardener
In a large city suburban neighborhood, there were two neighbors, Peris and Mike, who lived side by side. One day, they decided to transform their backyards into beautiful gardens. Peris, a devoted Christian, decided to plant a garden that would reflect her faith in Jesus.
Peris worked diligently, carefully selecting flowers that symbolized love, joy, and peace. She also planted a tree to represent the strength and everlasting life found in her faith.
As her garden blossomed, she couldn’t help but share her joy on social media, explaining how the garden represented the teachings of Jesus.
However, Mike, her next-door neighbor, wasn’t quite sure about Peris’s garden and the underlying messages.
He saw her posts and pictures but struggled to grasp the deeper meaning. Mike was more of a skeptic, and his interests lay in practical, tangible things like science and technology.
One day, as they chatted over the fence, Peris explained the significance of the garden. She spoke about the eternal life promised by Jesus and the love that inspired her to create such a beautiful space.
Mike, however, found it hard to wrap his mind around these concepts. He was more inclined to trust what he could see and touch.
As the seasons changed, Peris’s garden continued to flourish, and her faith deepened. She invited Mike over to enjoy the tranquility and beauty.
Despite the garden’s undeniable splendor, Mike couldn’t fully understand the spiritual dimension that Peris embraced. He appreciated the aesthetics but remained unconvinced about the profound truths she spoke of.
One day, Peris decided to share a story with Mike, hoping to illustrate her faith in a way he could relate to. She told him about an unseen gardener who tended to the garden at night, ensuring that each flower bloomed perfectly and every leaf was in its place. Mike was intrigued but skeptical, asking for evidence of this invisible gardener.
Peris smiled and responded, “You can’t see the gardener, but you can see the results. The beauty, the order, and the growth – they all point to the existence of someone caring for this garden.” Mike pondered this, still uncertain about the unseen gardener but starting to appreciate the analogy.
As time went on, Peris and Mike continued to share friendly conversations over the fence. Mike admired the beauty of the garden and appreciated the sense of peace it brought to the neighborhood.
Yet, he remained hesitant about accepting the existence of the unseen gardener and the deeper spiritual truths Peris spoke about.
One day, a storm swept through the neighborhood, bringing strong winds and heavy rain. The garden, once vibrant and orderly, now appeared chaotic and battered.
Peris, though disheartened by the temporary devastation, remained hopeful and started the process of restoring her beloved garden.
Mike observed her efforts and, curious about her resilience, asked, “Why bother fixing the garden after the storm? Isn’t it just nature taking its course?” Peris smiled and replied, “It may seem that way, but the unseen gardener is still at work, helping the garden recover and thrive once more.”
As Peris nursed the garden back to health, new flowers began to bloom, and the tree stood tall once again.
Mike couldn’t deny the resilience of the garden, and he started to wonder if there might be some truth to Peris’s belief in the unseen gardener.
One day, as they sat in the garden, enjoying the renewed beauty, Peris shared a different perspective. “Just like my garden, our lives face storms – challenges, doubts, and uncertainties.
But through faith in Jesus, we find strength and renewal. The unseen gardener represents the divine presence that guides us through life’s storms.”
Mike, contemplating the metaphor in the context of his own life, began to see the parallels. He realized that, even in the midst of personal storms, there could be an unseen force providing strength and renewal.
The parable of the Unseen Gardener reflects the ongoing journey of understanding and accepting spiritual truths.
While Mike may not have fully embraced Peris’s faith, the resilience of the garden and the metaphor of an unseen guiding presence left a seed of curiosity and contemplation in his heart.
In this modern-day example, the parable encourages us to consider the evidence of divine guidance and the transformative power of faith, even in the face of life’s storms.
It recognizes that understanding Jesus’ mission, divinity, and reality is a process that unfolds gradually, often through personal experiences and reflections on the unseen workings of grace and love.
Peris’s garden represents the teachings of Jesus, with the unseen gardener symbolizing the divine presence guiding and nurturing life.
The story illustrates the challenge of understanding spiritual truths in a world often focused on the tangible and visible.
Just like in the Gospel of John, where Jesus faced skepticism, some may struggle to fully grasp the profound nature of his mission, divinity, and reality in today’s context.
…………..
Prayer: Lord, give me the grace of speaking holy words that always give You glory and reflect the eternal Truths alive in Your Heart.
Help me to also be aware of the lies all around me in this world of sin. May Your Heart filter out the errors and allow only the seeds of Truth to be planted in my own mind and heart. Jesus, I love You. Amen.
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