In the Gospel, we have a continuation of the scene from yesterday, where Pharisees brought to Jesus the woman caught in adultery. After offering God’s mercy to the adulterous woman, one might think to ask, who is this guy? Who does he think he is? As the scribes proclaim in Mark’s Gospel, “Who alone but God can forgive sins”.
Well, Jesus identifies himself today. Twice he calls himself, “I AM”. “I AM” was of course the name of God given to moses at the burning bush. Moses asked, who is this sending me on this mission to deliver the Israelite slaves? And the Lord said, tell them, “I AM sent you.”
Jesus identifies himself today as, “I AM” come to do the saving himself, salvation which could only come through Him.
“For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins." This is a choice the Jesus poses to every human soul in every generation. To believe in Him or not. To follow Him or to follow the world.
As Christians, we have been given the gift of faith to know that Jesus Christ is God and our only savior, and yet, we still struggle between these two attractions. The world is seductive. It offers immediate gratification: the saucy television show, internet sight, the juicy piece of gossip. The way the world is set up one is often rewarded for walking in the ways of selfishness.
. It’s hard to be in the world, but not of the world. Likely, this is why we find Lenten fasting so difficult: we like our worldly attachments. And in the age of social media, there are some social pressures not to appear to be “too Christian”—to not be “one of those Christians”. Many young parents struggle with this choice: bring their kids to sports practice or to church? We have a lot of parents who want to raise the next Lebron James instead of raising the next Saint James.
Each of us struggle in our own way with this duplicity. Many Christians go to the grave without ever really seeking to put God first, without really living the consecration of baptism, to put faith first, to make the choice of God or the world.
To be Christian is radical choice, it is to go down to the root of our being. If we truly believe that he is God, then we have to dedicate ourselves to Him—not simply in occasional thoughts in our moments of religious fervor, but in a concrete decision to follow him always, which puts us in contradiction with the ways of the world.
May we have the faith and strength and perseverance to make that choice day after day, moment to moment, for it is the choice that brings true life and brings it to abundance for the glory of God and salvation.
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That the Church will experience the graces of profound renewal during this season of Lent. That we may grow in our eagerness in spreading the Gospel of Christ.
That all Christian families will recommit themselves to putting Christ at the center of their family life, so as to grow in faith, hope, and love. We pray to the Lord.
For an end to abortion and for the reverence and protection of human life. We pray to the Lord.
For the young people of our Church. May they be strengthened to be witnesses to the Gospel of mercy and work for a future that embodies a genuine culture of life.
For those preparing to enter the Church at Easter: that they will be profoundly blessed in their preparation for full initiation into the Body of Christ. We pray to the Lord.
For the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, or suffering from addiction, mental, or physical illness, imprisoned, and those most in need: that the Lord in his goodness will be close to them in their trials. We pray to the Lord.
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