The bottom line

This morning’s gospel passage (Jn 12:44-50) closes out "the Book of Signs" (Jn 1-12) in John's gospel.  In this final speech before the crowds, sensing that his great passion, death and resurrection looms before him, Jesus urgently “cries out” to us.  This short passage echoes themes that pervade John’s gospel.  See Jesus, see God.  Remain in Jesus, remain in God.   Have faith in Jesus, have faith in God who sent Him out of his great love for us.

However, even if we reject Jesus, and thus reject God, Jesus will not condemn us, just as he did not condemn the woman caught in adultery.  Yet we will still be utterly lost.  Jesus won’t have to condemn us; we will have already condemned ourselves to lives of darkness and fear, lives of angst and anger, lives of pain and hatred.  For when we reject Jesus, we reject the love the God has for us.  We reject the salvation won for us by Jesus.

This seems simple, yet – like the rule-following Pharisees, who, at the very moment of Jesus’ speech, are plotting to kill him – I am often uncomfortable with this message.  I always look for the cookbook, some list of instructions – a rule book, if you will – to ensure that when I follow the recipe precisely, I get what I want. 

But there is no rule book, for there is only one rule, and his name is Jesus.  Pick up the cross and follow him.  Be a slave to all.  Don’t count the cost, for the cost is your entire life.  All that you deemed important before; all that you held dear before; all that you considered fulfilling before was a mere grain of wheat.  Hold tight to that grain, and that’s all you have, a bagatelle.  Let that grain die, trusting that the new life Jesus offers will be so much greater, so much richer, and so much fuller than anything you could possibly make for yourself, and this new life will yield great fruit.

Live this life of love, generosity and kindness, sharing God’s unconditional love will all of children, each created in His image and likeness. 

Live this life of peace and joy, free of anxiety and joyfully celebrating the great gift of salvation God offers out of love through His gift of Jesus. 

Be patient in suffering and adversity, for Jesus suffered much for you.  Live gently and humbly, faithfully laying all of your needs in prayer at the feet of Jesus – your Lord, your Savior, your sustenance, your way, your rule, your life.

This is the message that Holy Spirit directs Paul and Barnabas to proclaim to the Jews and to the Gentiles.  This is the message that will change the world as all the nations come to believe in Jesus.  This is the message we celebrated with great joy just one month ago.

Out of God’s great love for you and me and everyone from sea to sea, Jesus Christ, son of God, son of Man, died on the cross and rose again to save us from sin, save us from evil, save us from death. 

Believe, and the kingdom of heaven is yours.