Wednesday of the
Second Week of Easter
(Acts 5:17-26; John 3:16-21)
The gospel today begins with one of the most famous
verses in the entire Bible. In fact,
John 3:16 has been called “the Gospel in miniature.” It boldly proclaims God’s love and tells of
the eternal destiny for all who care to be formed by it.
The passage reads that Jesus is not here to condemn
humans but to offer them a choice. They can
accept him, the light of the world, as their guide. Or they can remain in the darkness of sinful
desires. It is instructive that
Nicodemus, whom Jesus is addressing here, first comes to Jesus “at night” indicating
his complexity in sin. However, he makes
a final appearance in broad daylight after the crucifixion to bury Jesus. This charitable act indicates that Nicodemus
has opted for the light of the world.
We may ask if it is possible to accept Jesus while maintaining
some sinful desire. Perhaps we enjoy
gossip or maybe a pornographic Internet site.
No, the light of the world will not admit any darkness although he does
listen to our prayers for mercy. If we
sincerely petition him and duly follow his instructions, he will see us through
to eternal life.
