enjoy his light. But I have greater evidence than that of John—the works which the Father entrusted to me to carry out. The very works
I do bear witness: the Father has sent me. Thus he who bears witness to me is the Father who sent me. You have never heard his voice and
have never seen his likeness; therefore, as long as you do not believe his messenger, his word is not in you. You search in the Scriptures,
thinking that in them you will find life; yet Scripture bears witness to me. But you refuse to come to me, that you may live. I am not
seeking human praise; but I know that the love of God is not within you, for I have come in my Father’s name and you do not accept me.
If another comes in his own name, you will accept him. As long as you seek praise from one another, instead of seeking the glory which
comes from the only God, how can you believe? Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father. Moses himself, in whom you placed
your hope, accuses you. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how
will you believe what I say?
Reflection:
“Moses calmed the anger of Yahweh” and “Yahweh
changed his mind.” Despite all the philosophical-theological
debates about the immutability of God, the Scriptures present us
with an image of God who not only moves us, but is moved
by us. It is not just Moses, but we have Abraham and Yahweh
talking to each other as if they had been friends for ages. We
have Jacob wrestling with God, Jeremiah, complaining to God
relentlessly, David singing and dancing around God. In today’s
Gospel, Jesus’ words reveal such an intimacy with God that
both the Father and the Son are eager to bear witness to each
other. If we keep too much of a respectable distance from God,
perhaps it is because we are not truly in touch with God’s
word and His love in us, as Jesus complains today. Maybe we
should sit at the porch of God’s house and play marbles with
him; then we may find ourselves ROFL with him.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2022