Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter
Readings for Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Easter

First Published: Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Without Light

Reflection:

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life. (Jn 3 16)

It is very hard to simply reflect on such a statement. It is so explicit that our first tendency is to just pray it as is and marvel at its simplicity. It is lyrical and comes to us in song as well as the word. It is when we place it against the events that we read about in the Acts of the Apostles in the first reading that the practical significance of what is said becomes obvious. This fact, stated so simply, is like the first small stone that falls on the mountain side that starts an avalanche that covers the world.

God so loved the world... The world is us and all his creation. And we had fallen into sin and despair. God saw this and saw the cruelty of men under the influence of Satan. He knew that they had forgotten the words of Abraham and Isaac and paid no heed to the prophets he sent after that; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and all the rest. Drastic action was needed if his creation was to be pulled back from destruction. God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life. God gave his Son to the world knowing the evil in the world and knowing that the world would hate what he represented; the Light.

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, (Jn 3 19-20) the light was rejected as God knew it would be, but it could not be extinguished. It was handed on to those who could carry it, and few they were at first. These we see in the Acts taking the light forward and we see how, at first, the leaders of the Temple were indignant and warned Peter and John (see last weeks readings) then the disciples prayed and were reassured. They became bolder and defied the Sanhedrin and were put in jail for their defiance. But the light could not be so easily put out. They defined the bars of their prison and again proclaimed the light. Probably using words like; God so loved the world which is why we see a marked change in the arrogance of the Jewish leadership. They are being carful because the light is shining upon them and their deeds.

The lesson for us is two fold. First, in our hearts we must recognize how important the gift is for us. God so loved us that he gave his only begotten-Son. That gift and the one that followed, the Holy Spirit, gave us strength, power and the light, the new light that was lit in the Easter fire. And that light must be carried to the rest of the world by us to whom it was entrusted. And do not expect those who have not seen the light to love it. As John reminds us people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light Our grace is that the Light is very difficult to keep out. Pax