Jesus said to the Jews :“If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,

They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone.

 

◇◇◇◇◇◇   Everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 

A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains.   ◇◇◇◇◇◇

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊ 

Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95

 

Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56

Glory and praise forever.

   

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊ 

 John 8:31-42

Jesus went on to say to

The Jews who believed in him, "You will be my true disciples, if you keep my word. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are the descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves of anyone. What do you mean by saying: You will be free?"

Jesus answered them, "Truly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave. But the slave doesn't stay in the house forever; the son stays forever. So, if the Son makes you free, you will be really free.

 I know that you are the descendants of Abraham; yet you want to kill me because my word finds no place in you. For my part, I speak of what I have seen in my Father's presence, but you do what you have learned from your father."

 They answered him, "Our father is Abraham." Then Jesus said, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do as Abraham did. But now you want to kill me, the one who tells you the truth – the truth that I have learned from God. That is not what Abraham did; what you are doing are the works of your father."

 The Jews said to him, "We are not illegitimate children; we have one Father, God." Jesus replied, "If God were your Father you would love me, for I came forth from God, and I am here. And I didn't come by my own decision, but it was he himself who sent me.

 

 Gospel Reflection：

The Truth

 We are closing in on the week of the Passion and across these days, John presents the conflict between Jesus and his opponents as escalating. That Jesus is from 'above' and does not fit into the schemes of 'below' is further intensified by the discourse on the Truth.

Having learned the Truth from the Father, Jesus becomes the Truth that offers itself to the world to embrace so that the world would experience authentic freedom. But the world does not want the Truth. "What is Truth?"

Pilate asks; and Jesus remains silent: If one cannot see, recognize, and claim the Truth that stands right in front in flesh and blood, what's the point of more verbal noise? We do not want to do so and pull veils over our eyes, because accepting the Truth would demand a conversion of hearts and change of ways.

So we prefer to continue our lives of lies and partial truths, convenient, yet so false!