Gospel • Jn 3:31-36
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THE one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things. But the one who comes from heaven is above all.
He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.
For the one whom God sent speaks the words of God. He does not ration his gift of the Spirit. The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.
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Among the ancient Hebrews, life is an animated body with its power to function and its capacity for pleasure. Life itself is the basic good. “Fullness” of life is the experience that a person desires on this earth: length of days, possessions (especially of land), offspring, peace, and deliverance from enemies. Life is diminished with the loss of these, and death marks the end of life. Israel knew of no vital activity that survived death.
Much later, primarily due to the influence of Greek thought, there grew a belief in life after death. When the Israelites were forced to give up their cherished religious practices, martyrs among them offered their lives in the hope of receiving them back from God.
By the time of Jesus, most people believed in the other life, in the resurrection from the dead on the last day. The fullness of life – or eternal life – is obtained after death. This means that death is not the final word; eternal life awaits people beyond this earthly life. It is a life of happiness with God.
With Jesus, however, eternal life begins to be a reality in this life. Jesus has the words of eternal life; one possesses eternal life through faith in him (cf Jn 20:31). One obtains eternal life by keeping the commandment of God. One must be ready to lose one’s natural life to preserve one’s soul for eternal life (cf Jn 12:25).
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SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2020,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
