Jesus is knocking in our hearts

Jesus is I AM.

51 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” 52 [So] the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham,[a] who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it[b] and was glad. 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?”[c] 58 [d]Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.-John8:51-59

As I read the gospel reading and as I put myself in the shoes of the people during Jesus' time, in some way I understand how they feel. Jesus speaks the truth of His identity, but it is difficult to understand. It is difficult to understand because the people cannot accept it. The people cannot accept it because their hearts are closed all along. Today, the Church continues to battle the close and hardened hearts of some people. Many people today like to accomplish things instantly. Instant coffee, instant laundry, instant cooking, instant money, etc. When things go wrong, these people want to end it instantly as well. Few seem to care to the marriage vows of "... for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and health, till death do us part." Now, if it's worse, poverty or sickness, a husband or wife can walk away from their marriage by justifying themselves that they are not happy anymore, so why stick in an unhappy union? Jesus continues to knock in our hearts. Jesus continues to put His faith in us that we will open our heart, mind and soul to Him. Instant doesn't mean the right answer to all our troubles. Listening to Jesus and letting Him guide us will make life happier and better.

Image courtesy: St. Tekla 

Truly Stubborn

A heart that refuses to believe is hard to convince.

40 Some in the crowd who heard these words said, “This is truly the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But others said, “The Messiah will not come from Galilee, will he? 42 Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” 43 So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. 44 Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.45 So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?” 46 The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this one.” 47 So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? 48 Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, 51 “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” 52 They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”-John7:40-53

As I read the Gospel reading, I cannot help but be amazed at the stubbornness and hardness of the hearts of some people in the crowd, chief priests and Pharisees. Even if Jesus did or said something great already, still they have a ready excuse to discredit Him. Nicodemus is one of the Pharisees. It is with logic that he asked, 'Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?' Yet, the others still found a way to discredit not only Jesus but Nicodemus' logic too.

Sometimes in life, despite speaking the truth, despite doing good, others will never be convinced of our goodness simply because they know us, where we come from, who our family is, the past sins we committed and regretted. Jesus is teaching us not to be discouraged since He was in the exact situation already. If others are not and will never be convinced of our goodness, Jesus is assuring us that He sees the sincerity in the minds and hearts of each one of us, and, will never leave our side.

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Hard to Convince

A heart that refuses to believe is difficult to convince.

1 [a]After this, Jesus moved about within Galilee; but he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. 2 But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. 3 So his brothers[b] said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 No one works in secret if he wants to be known publicly. If you do these things, manifest yourself to the world.” 5 For his brothers did not believe in him.... 14 When the feast was already half over, Jesus went up into the temple area and began to teach. 15 [f]The Jews were amazed and said, “How does he know scripture without having studied?” 16 Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not my own but is from the one who sent me. 17 Whoever chooses to do his will[g] shall know whether my teaching is from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on his own seeks his own glory, but whoever seeks the glory of the one who sent him is truthful, and there is no wrong in him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You are possessed![h] Who is trying to kill you?” 21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I performed one work[i] and all of you are amazed 22 because of it. Moses gave you circumcision—not that it came from Moses but rather from the patriarchs—and you circumcise a man on the sabbath. 23 If a man can receive circumcision on a sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I made a whole person well on a sabbath? 24 Stop judging by appearances, but judge justly.”25 So some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? 26 And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities[j] have realized that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where he is from. When the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” 28 So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” 30 So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.-John7:1-30

Here, the people are torn between believing Jesus and hating Him. It seems that people have a lot of reasons and excuses to discredit Jesus. For them, Jesus is not worthy of the Knowledge of God, not worthy of the God-given gifts, not worthy to do miracles, not worthy to teach simply because they know Him, where He came from. A heart that refuses to believe is hard to convince. For them, it is much better to see somebody suffer rather than be healed or be helped on a Sabbath. Jesus' Words ring true for us also - 'Stop judging by appearances, but judge justly.' Jesus is teaching us that all works that origin from God is good. Who then are we to judge if a good act helped another?

Image courtesy: History Channel

 

What is necessary to believe?

Are we stubborn?

11 [a]The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.-Mark8:11-13

As in the days of Jesus until now, the world still consists of people with stubborn and hardened hearts. Supposing signs are everywhere pointing to the existence of God, are we ready to accept it as truth and reality, or are we still going to challenge it? What is necessary to believe?