Today’s Gospel
for the family
Today's Gospel + image + catechesis
Gospel text (Jn 8:31-42):
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “...you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free. I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.”
They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father!” So they said to him, “We are not illegitimate. We have one Father, God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.
They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father!” So they said to him, “We are not illegitimate. We have one Father, God.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.
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Illustration: + Mr. Josep Lluís Martínez i Picañol (Picanyol)
Today we hear an of the phrases from Jesus that St. John Paul II liked best: «the truth will set you free». There is much talk about freedom. Everyone wants it! But, do we know what really means to "be free"? For many it is the equivalent of "doing as one likes", without limits. But... Jesus is not selling us such a whimsical freedom; Jesus Christ relates freedom truth. Jesus-Godwe was infinitely free, and there we see Him: nailed, immobilized in the Cross, serene, apologizing for our offenses.
—Can you guess what freedom is useful for? To love, not to "play". Whoever spends his life by playing, ends up by being slave of the play.
