by
Father David Daly, LC
John 3:13-17
Jesus said to Nicodemus: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.”
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, as I take these moments to pray, please enlighten my mind and strengthen my will so that I can follow you faithfully. I believe that you are the Way, the Truth and the Life. Thank you for becoming man and dying for me in order to save me from my sins.
Petition: Lord, grant me the grace to be aware of your presence throughout this day.
1. No One Has Gone up to Heaven. We are all looking for never-ending happiness -- we are all looking for heaven! There is one problem: In this world we cannot find it. No human being has the words of everlasting life. No matter how hard we try to make heaven on earth, we will fail. If we try, the outcome is always existential frustration.
2. God Gave His Only Son. Only Jesus holds the key to happiness. Only through him can I can find unending peace and happiness, for “whoever believes in him will have eternal life.” It is hard to grasp this mystery –– that God gave his only son for my sake. Only through faith can I begin to understand God’s love for me in Christ.
3. Not to Condemn the World. Many of our contemporaries cry out, “Yes to God, No to the Church.” They feel that the Church has come to condemn, since she is a voice crying out in the wilderness on behalf of the truth. No! Jesus did not come to condemn the world and neither does the Church. He came to show us the way to heaven and has left us the Church as an unfailing guide.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord Jesus, thank you for this prayer and for the many graces you have given me. I believe that you have come to save and not to condemn. You have saved me by your grace and I want to bring you to others!
Resolution: Lord, I promise to remember today that you are my savior and share this insight with someone else.