Today is Day 17 of our Lenten Reflections.  Thanks so much for joining us!  You can subscribe to receive our podcast here. 

A Reflection on John 7:25-8:1

“I have not come of my own accord.”  (v28a)

How blind and obstinate we can be. We hear Jesus’ words, words that promise us eternal life, life giving food and thirst-quenching water, but we won’t trust what we do not understand. We see His miracles: transforming water into wine, multiplying bread, healing paralytics, yet we question where He comes from. We will not let our hearts be changed by what He’s doing. And we will not admit our own weakness and failings in the midst of a power that is beyond us. Instead, we judge, question, consider ourselves above Him.

But Jesus is not swayed by our reaction. He knows that His purpose on earth is to do the Father’s will, and He will do it regardless of the acceptance or understanding of others. Does He desperately want us to turn back to Him? Yes!  Out of His desire to give us His very self, He stands and proclaims in the midst of those hostile to Him: “If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink” (v 37).  But will our hard hearts change His determination to do His Father’s will, even to the point of death? Absolutely not. His love for us does not depend on us. He is never changing. So, He will continue on His way to the cross, though his hour has not yet come. And He will endure His agony, His Passion, His death. He will be sorrowful, rejected, and abandoned. Because He is looking to the day when the Spirit will flow out the hearts of believers like rivers of living water, not for his own benefit, but for the good of those who love Him.

Jesus, I am sorry for all of the times that I have rejected you because I did not understand what you were doing. I know that all that you do, you do for love of me. I trust that my Father’s will is for my good. Let your Spirit flow out of me like living water to those I meet today, that they, too, may know that they are loved by You.

Scripture quotations are from The Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright ©1965, 1966 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved worldwide.