Wednesday, April 28, 2021

 

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

(Acts 12:24-13:5a; John 12:44-50)

Pope Francis once told a group of priests that they should never send anyone away from Confession.  He said that even if one’s situation prohibited the priest from giving absolution, he could at least bless the person.  The pope also said that priests should such a person back, again and again, for additional blessings.  He is only reflecting what Jesus says in today’s gospel and at other points in John.

According to the fourth gospel, Jesus has not come to condemn the world but to save it.  He sees the world is engulfed in deceit and treachery.  People, he finds, often care little, if at all, about one another.  He says that they live in darkness.  But he has brought light to this darkness with his love and truth.  These virtues will save the world from folly.  Propelled by the grace of his death and resurrection, their practitioners will have eternal life.

Many of us too often see the world in black and white.  That is, we want a strict determination between good and bad.  We are unable to work with people so that their charcoal-hued lives might brighten through exposure to Jesus. This negative posture will likely drift us in the direction of evil.  We too should open ourselves to salvation by heeding Jesus’ teaching today.