First John Day Nine

In this reflection on the Incarnation through the lens of St. John's First Letter, the author emphasizes the importance of believing that Jesus is the Son of God. The testimony of God, through the Spirit, the water (baptism), and the blood (the cross), confirms this belief. The author reminds us that our faith is not blind acceptance, but rooted in solid testimony. Through the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist, the church experiences the reality of this testimony. The purpose of this proclamation is to help us possess the Son and have eternal life and communion with the Father. The author invites us to reflect on the message of John's first letter and consider what stands out to us the most. The centrality of the Word, fellowship with God, the divine life within us, God's commandments, and the call to love one another are all significant aspects of the Christian life. Greetings, friends. What a joy to share the Gospel. We come now to the conclusion of our reflection on the Incarnation through the lens of St. John's First Letter. The beloved disciple has sought in this short writing to place us in intimate contact with the mystery of the Incarnation, that is, the radiant center of the Gospel. Let's pause for a moment, preparing ourselves to encounter the Word as living and active for us. If you will, take a deep breath slowly in and slowly out. Come Lord Jesus, allow your Holy Spirit to bring your Word to life in me. May I hear your voice, Good Shepherd. We enter together the Word by reading from the First Letter of John, chapter 5, verses 5 through 13. Who is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three that testify, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord. If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this, that He has testified on behalf of His Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar by not believing the testimony God has given about His Son. And this is the testimony. God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever possesses the Son has life. Whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life. You who believe in the name of the Son of God. This passage brings us powerfully to the culmination of the beloved disciples' proclamation. Recall please where this all began. Remember the first reading we shared in which the author declares what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands, we proclaim now to you, so you too may have fellowship with us, for our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. Now that we might embrace in confidence this proclamation, the author calls forth witnesses. Our faith is not founded on blind acceptance, but on solid testimony. There are three witnesses, the water, the blood and the Spirit. John points us to the water, Jesus' baptism, where the Father declared, bore witness to His Son, this is my beloved Son on whom my favor rests. This my friends is the sure testimony that John speaks of in this passage we just heard, the testimony of God Himself, God who is of His nature truth and cannot lie. There is also another testimony, and that is the blood, pointing to the cross, where in this case it is the Son who testifies to the absolute trustworthiness of the Father. Father into your hands I commend my spirit. Notice my friends the fellowship, the communion of love from all eternity here expressed between Father and Son within history, in water and blood, in baptism and the cross. All of this is stirred to life by a third witness, that is the Holy Spirit who also testifies to its truthfulness within the one who believes. And this is made concretely present in the life of the church throughout the ages through the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist. In these concrete places of hearing, seeing, and touching and being touched, the water, baptism, and the blood, Eucharist, are made present in such a way to the disciple that his faith is given firm foundation by their present reality. And again the author insists on repeating, emphatically emphasizing, that this proclamation is all so that we might possess the Son who has life, and thus we too might have life and communion with the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit. Oh friends, let's open ourselves to the Word once again. Please lean in to this Word. Intentionally consent to the movement of the anointing within, the Spirit who makes the person of Jesus alive through the Word, that we might know and love the Father with Him. We read again the first letter of John, chapter 5, verses 5 through 13. Who is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three that testify, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord. If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this, that He has testified on behalf of His Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar by not believing the testimony God has given about His Son. And this is the testimony. God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever possesses the Son has life. Whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life. You who believe in the name of the Son of God. Friends, let me invite you to reflect on the message of John's first letter. What in the course of our time with this message stands out most to you? As we come to the conclusion of our time with the first letter of John, is there a word, a phrase, a certain reality, understanding that strikes you most powerfully? Perhaps the centrality of the apostolic preaching, the Word. The invitation to experience fellowship, communion with God. The life of God as a seed planted deeply within us, coming to life in us. Or the understanding of God's commandments as His Word and will for us, spoken to us each day in each moment of our lives. Or that the whole of the Christian life is crystallized in the call to love one another. And this because love has been made visible to us in the cross of Jesus, the Son of God. What has moved you in our time with St. John's first letter? Lord Jesus, again, very intentionally, we consent to the work of your anointing within us, that your Holy Spirit might bring life to the seed of the Father's divine life within us. May the Spirit open our hearts by the love of the Father made visible in your work, Lord Jesus, and may the Spirit pour out that love through us toward all the people we meet day by day. And friends, what a joy to share the Gospel with you.