John 5: 17-30
Jesus answered the Jews, “My Father is still working, and I also am working.” For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.
Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life. “Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Doing the Things of Jesus
The book of John does a great job of showing us who Jesus is. As we learn more and more about Jesus, we learn more about who we are and the purpose of our lives. Just prior to this passage the Scripture tells us that Jesus healed a man on the sabbath. The man had waited 38 years to be healed so certainly there was no urgency on the part of Jesus to heal the man on the sabbath. He chose this day intentionally. Jesus says that he is doing the work of the Father. He is doing so at the great risk of ruffling the feathers of the religious leaders. Jesus is doing this to make clear who he is: the son of God and Lord of the sabbath. Jesus goes on to assure us that if we listen to his teachings and believe in the Father that we will not face condemnation but live. At this point we ought to be rejoicing over this God of love who loves us enough to show us how to live in eternity with him. We ought to be emulating Jesus, doing the things of Jesus as he does the things of the Father, even if that means we ruffle some feathers. After all, as St. Ignatius teaches, the goal of life is to live with God forever.
—Terresa M. Ford, M.Div., MFA is a hospice chaplain and an Ignatian spiritual director who provides pastoral care both in person and virtually. Terresa has written for the Black Catholic Messenger, preached for Catholic Women Preach and offered Contemplatios for Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center in Sandy Springs, Georgia. Terresa is a member of Assisi Community, a Catholic community dedicated to the works of non-violence and social justice, based in Washington DC.
Prayer
Loving Jesus, we thank you for all created things and we pray that we use our gifts for the sole purpose of gaining deeper intimacy with you. We pray for the courage to live out our lives’ work in your company. Give us ears to hear, eyes to see and a heart to discern your will for our lives. In your precious and merciful name, we pray. Amen.
—Terresa M. Ford
Pray with the Pope
The Holy Father’s Monthly Prayer Intentions Brought to you by Apostleship of Prayer the first Friday of each month.