John 12: 27-36

 

27 ‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.28Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ 29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’30Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people* to myself.’ 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. 34The crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Messiah* remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?’ 35Jesus said to them, ‘The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.’

After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them.

 

 

 

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Reflection:

 

It is difficult to begin writing my words for reflection. The first two verses are a Sacred conversation, and I can’t imagine having been present to hear Jesus pray this and God respond! What would I have heard? What would you have heard?  Would your “spiritual ears” have been in tune so you might have thought of an angel, maybe even God the Father, or would you have heard it as thunder?

 

This crowd knows Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, they most-likely have heard of or seen other miracles, and they have been present for this Holy conversation. However they do not understand; without spiritual openness, it would be difficult to grasp.  The tragedy is they are not open to believing what He is offering them in person. They are choosing only what is earthly  while missing out on all that is given in life with God. Even with multiple opportunities given to them, they remain in the darkness and are not open to believe Jesus is truly God’s son. He leaves them.

 

We all have been in literal darkness, whether inside or out, and you walk slowly with arms out possibly feeling your way to a doorknob. We feel uneasy. This also can be spiritually as well.

 

​Is it difficult for you to have faith at times? We can always ask God to give us understanding and the openness to believe. You may want to have a conversation with God giving thanks for your faith and/or asking Him your questions.

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