Friday after the
Epiphany
(I John 5:5-13; Luke 5:12-16)
Why believe in Jesus as the Son of God who gives eternal
life? The first reading from the First
Letter of John purports to answer this question. It calls upon three witnesses. The first witness is “water.” Jesus was born of a woman who carried him in her body sack of water. In other words, he became
human. As human, he possessed God’s
favor which allowed him to heal people as seen in today’s gospel.
The second witness is Jesus’ blood shed on the cross. Jesus showed himself to be God’s Son by dying
as a spotless sacrifice for sinners. St.
Paul expresses this truth most clearly when he writes to the Romans: “But God
proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us”
(Romans 5:8). His sacrifice made up for
human sins. It allowed those who side
with him to become members of God’s family worthy of eternal life.
Finally, the Holy Spirit gives testimony to Jesus. He spoke through the prophets who foretold
Jesus’ coming. The Spirit also acts in
our hearts to resist egoistic tendencies and to practice Jesus’ love for God
and neighbor.
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