We hear – but, we do not understand.
In today’s Gospel, the Jews heard, but, they did not understand.“…whoever keeps my word will never see death.” I understand that statement of Jesus within the context of eternal life – and, not simply one’s physical life on earth. If I keep His Word, I will not see [eternal] death.I read the liturgical Readings of today and realize from both the Old Testament and the New Testament that God’s covenant is kept if we do our part. Both the Genesis Reading and Responsorial Psalm 105 emphasize the keeping of God’s covenant with Abraham. This theme of ‘covenant keeping’ is re-iterated by Jesus.
In today’s Gospel, we are asked to allow God to work within ourselves to change us. We are asked not to pursue Earthly things, but to pursue Heavenly things! We must not glorify ourselves, but allow God to glorify us, as Jesus says. We must remain faithful to God, and we “shall not taste death.”
How do we do that? How do we strive to remain faithful to God and be all that God wants us to be in this era? How do we live up to that potential that God wants us to? I don’t have any answers for these questions. These are all things which I struggle with constantly. We all have times that we have fallen short of what God wants from us. Sometimes I get so busy that I don’t take time for others. Sometimes, it’s easier and more convenient for me to make my own plans instead of discerning what it is that God wants from me.
We must remember that we have a forgiving God. When we don’t do everything we can to follow God, we have been blessed with the opportunity to ask God for forgiveness. Whether that is through personal prayer or a formal reconciliation service, we have the opportunity to receive forgiveness and continue to keep God at the front of our lives.
"If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing;? but it is my Father who glorifies me." John 8:54
