5th Week of Lent 2025 - Tuesday - Believing in Christ

 

Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about the importance of believing. 

Concluding his conversion with Nicodemus in Chapter 3 of the Gospel, the Lord sums up all he has explained, with these words, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life. Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”

In the very last words of the 4th Gospel, St. John writes about the purpose he even wrote it: “these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

An interesting note, that in contrast to St. Paul and the other 3 Gospels, St. John never uses the noun “faith or belief”, instead, he uses the word “to believe”. Believing is always an active verb, not an object or thing that one possesses, it is an action, an ongoing relationship with the Truth revealed by God—the One who makes the truth known and the Truth himself. 

St. John even records different stages of believing in his Gospel. There are those who hear the teachings of Jesus or see his signs, yet refuse to believe. There are those who begin to believe, but don’t fully recognizing Jesus’ identity. There are those who come to believe in Jesus, but are evidently afraid to acknowledge their faith publicly. There are those who encounter Jesus and come to believe in him, and are recognized as his disciples. And there are those who will come to believe through the preaching of his disciples: “blessed are those who do not see, yet believe, the Lord announces to doubting Thomas. Do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

In today’s Gospel, the Lord teaches about what is at stake for believing in Him or not. He states to the Pharisees, “you will die in your sin. where I am going you cannot come.” Believing in the Lord or not has eternal consequences. Notice though, as he concludes his teaching today, many of those Jesus come to believe: “Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.”

Part of the Lent certainly doing penance for ourselves and our own sin, but we also pray, fast, and give alms for others. We lift up our catechumens who have begun to believe and will be baptized at Easter, but also we lift up those who fail or refuse to believe: that their hearts, and minds, and eyes might be opened. Every year on Good Friday, we offer up special prayers who do not believe in God and those who believe in Christ. 

And we commend ourselves to God—believing in Christ—we will continue to walk in his ways, and make him known in our words and actions—that others who have not seen may be believing, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Trusting in the mercy and truth of God revealed in Christ, let us bring our prayers before the Father, who desires that all might come to believe and have life in Christ Jesus.

For the holy Church of God: that she may continue to proclaim Christ with clarity and conviction, inviting all people into a living and active belief in the Son of God. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all catechumens and candidates preparing for the Easter sacraments: that their journey of faith may deepen into a lasting relationship with Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who do not yet believe in Christ, and for those who once believed but have fallen away: that their minds and hearts may be opened by grace to the truth of the Gospel. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who are afraid to profess their faith publicly: that the Holy Spirit may strengthen them with courage to witness to Christ in word and deed. R: Lord, hear our prayer.

For those who suffer or are persecuted because of their belief in Christ: that they may be sustained by the hope of eternal life and the prayers of the Church. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our parish: that we may not only profess belief with our lips, but live it actively in our thoughts, words, and actions each day. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the sick, the suffering, and those weighed down by sin: that they may encounter the mercy of Jesus and come to believe more fully in his healing love. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the faithful departed who believed in Christ: that they may now see him face to face and rejoice in his eternal presence. Let us pray to the Lord.

Heavenly Father, you sent your Son into the world that we might believe and have life through him. Hear the prayers we bring today, and strengthen our faith, that we may remain in your truth and lead others to believe. Through Christ our Lord.