Through Belief we come to life. No other gospel accentuates belief like John's. The Greek verb used for belief, pisteuō is found 98 times in his gospel. After Jesus’ first miracle, the wedding at Cana, John’s notes how the disciples “began to believe in Him.” After the Lord cured the royal official’s son, John records how the official “and his whole household came to believe.” When Jesus gave sight to the blind man, his response was “I believe, Lord.”
That Greek word is interesting, it has a different connotation than the latin word: credo, which comes means to credit, to affirm, to put one’s heart into a thing. That’s a good word too, don’t get me wrong. We need to affirm with our heart that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. But, the word John uses in the Greek pisteuo, comes from the word peitho, which means, to persuade. To believe in God and in Jesus Christ, means allowing God to persuade me to follow him.
I like the different connotation there. The latin credo is a strong word. I believe. With my heart I affirm it. I put the stamp of approval on it. The Greek word though, puts the emphasis on God. God is the one beckoning, inviting, persuading me. He has sent his Son, as a sign of his love, inviting me to follow. He is worthy of belief. He is compelling. He has something to offer.
The passage today speaks of condemnation for those who refuse to believe. For there is something terribly sad about the one who has refused to be led by God. If Jesus, God in the flesh isn’t worth following, what is, who is? The refusal to believe in Jesus, in a sense, is a refusal to be led by Goodness and Truth and Life.
And so, yes, there is condemnation for that; there are eternal consequences to saying no to the light of Christ, to saying, I will not be persuaded by that which is most worthy. John stresses the importance of belief, because he is realistic about what is at stake. Belief leads to eternal life, but the refusal to believe—refusal to accept the invitation to life--to be persuaded by the light of God will end in eternal darkness. Will you turn and face and follow the easter light or not? And sadly, as John says, there are people who prefer darkness to light, and in the end their sad state will be exposed.
For those souls who resist belief, may we pray and offer compelling reasons to believe in Jesus in our words and deeds, for as long as they draw breath in this life, they are not without hope. For the Lord wishes to use us, to use our easter joy and integrity of life and good works—to persuade all those who would believe to himself, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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Filled with Paschal joy, let us turn earnestly to God, to graciously hear our prayers and supplications.
For the shepherds of our souls, that they may have the strength to govern wisely the flock entrusted to them by the Good Shepherd.
For the whole world, that it may truly know the peace of the Risen Christ, especially we pray for the conversion of those who refuse belief in God and Jesus the Christ, His Son.
For our parish, and for the newly initiated, that we may bear witness with great confidence to the Resurrection of Christ.
For our brothers and sisters who suffer, that their sorrow may be turned to gladness through the Christian faith.
That all of our beloved dead and all the souls in purgatory may come to the glory of the Resurrection.
O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the desires of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our lord.
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