WEDNESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF EASTER
THEME: LIVING IN GOD’S LIGHT
WEDNESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK OF EASTER
REGINA CAELI CATHOLIC CHURCH,
KAREN PARISH – NAIROBI
MAY 6, 2020
FIRST READING: Acts 12:24-13:5a
PSALM: Psalms 67:2-3, 5, 6 and 8
GOSPEL READING: John 12:44-50
SERMON BY: Fr. Stephen Omondi
• Today’s gospel (from the end of Johns 12th chapter) is interesting because these are Jesus last words to the crowd. After this He will be at the last supper room with His disciples up to chapter 17. In Chapter 18 we proceed to his arrest at the Garden, and so the next time He appears in public will actually be in front of Pilate.
• In today’s gospel (John 12:44-50), Jesus speaks of four things, namely: 1. His relationship to the Father 2. Himself as the light of the World 3. The danger of unbelief 4. The command to believe
• In other word’s Jesus is saying that He and the Father are one.
• To meet Jesus and listen to Him and believe in Him is to meet God, listen to His commands and believe in Him. • To believe in Him is to live in His light, and not to believe in Him is to live in darkness.
• Those who choose to live in darkness have already been condemned by their own choice and not by Him who came to save the world.
• He finally says that the words He speaks are eternal life. This means those who keep God’s commands have eternal life.
• Remember the emphasis of the fourth gospel. The summary being in John 3:16,” For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.
• Now this is interesting because Jesus came in love and He came to save.
• The truth is if you accept this saving and this loving you have eternal life.
• If you do not accept this saving and this loving, then you have already condemned yourself. That is the judgement. • It means, for me and you who have heard the words of Jesus we have already received our invitation and God is waiting for our response.
• I actually call the entire Bible an invitation to Gods love and the stories within it man’s response to this invitation. • Think of a college boy or one who has just gotten employed who gets attracted to a girl. Am here talking of the traditional innocent way of doing things.
• That boy will try to make contact with the girl and get her phone number. He will do all in his power to know more about the girl. • This could be through hanging around her, talking to each other through sms, WhatsApp, and so on. He will want to visit her or she visits him plus now know her friends, her interests and dislikes. • The more they get closer the more he gets excited and has stories for his friends and at times family.
• He is knowingly or unknowingly preparing them for a possible marriage of which they will be part of the ceremony.
• He is also preparing them for the new comer in the family and circle of friends.
• He also comes to learn that she doesn’t approve some of his friends.
• The boy makes major adjustments in his life until everyone can comment you have changed a lot since you met Mary, Rose or Jane.
• Our relationship with God which is of a higher nature because unlike the example of a boy and a girl at least this one on God’s side it is perfect, no deceit and no surprises, may follow the same pattern in a way.
• We come to discover God loves us and he has made the biggest sacrifice of giving his son for our salvation. • The big question is what will be our response.
• Today on the feast of St. Dominic Savio we have the perfect response given by this saintly youngster of only 15 years of age.
• He made four resolutions on his first Holy Communion at the age of seven which he kept thanks to the support of his mentor St. John Bosco. They are:
1. I will receive the sacrament of Reconciliation and the receive Holy communion as often as my confessor permits
2. I will keep feast days Holy
3. My friends will be Jesus and Mary
4. Death rather than sin
He also said this beautiful words, “I am not capable of doing big things, but I want to do everything, even the smallest things, for the greater glory of God.”
