FAUSTI - "My testimony is true" Jesus is Word and Light, because He bears witness to Father's love for the world (3:16). Light bears witness to itself by illuminating, without being illuminated by anything else, as the word bears witness to itself by speaking. Those who feel within themselves that this Word is true and alive, because it makes them true and alive: the Spirit Himself testifies to our spirit that we are children of God. In our heart, when it is sufficiently free from fear, there is an inner witness of truth, which leads it to spontaneously recognize what it is made for. Those who are slaves to darkness do not accept this witness, because they ignore where they come from and where they go: they do not know who they are. Here Jesus defines the Father as the beginning and purpose of his journey: He is the Son, born of the Father, who lives by His Love. Jesus is the light of the world precisely because, as the Son who knows the Love of the Father, He communicates to men the truth of them and of God: God is Father and we are His children. As is clear from the previous narration, Jesus did not come to judge, but to save the world (3:17). His judgment is that of the Father of life, who does not judge, but justifies. The awareness of being "the" Son of God, central in His revelation, will be the reason for His condemnation and of our salvation. "These words, as often in John, seem to contradict what has just been said: "I do not judge anyone". Jesus does not judge as man, according to the flesh, but judges as God, according to his Spirit, who is Love. And his judgment is true, unlike that of us. This judgment will be the cross, the salvation of all flesh. The reason for the truth of Jesus' judgment is that He is not alone. He is the Son, whose being is relation to the Father. There is no one without the other. It is the mystery of unity and of the distinction between Father and Son, whose life is mutual love. Father and Son are two, yet One. In fact, Jesus will say shortly afterwards. "I am (v.58) attributing to Himself what is exclusive of God. A witness, in order to be accepted in a judgment, must be of two persons. The witness of the Son is always, at the same time, that of the Father: He sent Him to His brothers and sisters precisely to show them His love. The works of Jesus on behalf of men tell the account of the Father (1:18); and the work of the Father is that men believe in the Son He has sent (6:29). They ask where the Father be. Knowing one's origin is the desire of every man, who is always in search of his identity. Not knowing Jesus, the Son, is not knowing God as Father. To know Him is to know the Father: "He who has seen me has seen the Father". The flesh of the Word reveals the Word that is in every flesh - "I am departing". Jesus repeats what He said in 7:33 and He will also repeat it to His disciples at the Last Supper. His departing - Jesus never says "I die", full of meanings that embrace the totality of his message, can be seen from different perspectives: on our part it is a killing, on His part it is the gift of life and the fulfillment of His mission, on the part of the Father it is the glorification of the Son and the revelation in Him of "I am". - Jesus, the Son, is the Light of the world. To refuse Him is to kill oneself as children and others as brothers. This refusal has as its extreme consequence the cross. But right there He will reveal Himself as I-Am, Lord and Saviour of all. The church experiences in itself the struggle between darkness and light. Through the Gospel narrative, She lives the drama of the Word of life that reveals her resistance of death, but in contemplation of the Son of Man raised up, She captures the mystery of man and of God: She understands how much God loved the world, even to the point of giving His Son, so that through Him She may have life (3:16).
FAUSTI - "My testimony is true"
RispondiEliminaJesus is Word and Light, because He bears witness to Father's love for the world (3:16). Light bears witness to itself by illuminating, without being illuminated by anything else, as the word bears witness to itself by speaking.
Those who feel within themselves that this Word is true and alive, because it makes them true and alive: the Spirit Himself testifies to our spirit that we are children of God.
In our heart, when it is sufficiently free from fear, there is an inner witness of truth, which leads it to spontaneously recognize what it is made for.
Those who are slaves to darkness do not accept this witness, because they ignore where they come from and where they go: they do not know who they are.
Here Jesus defines the Father as the beginning and purpose of his journey: He is the Son, born of the Father, who lives by His Love. Jesus is the light of the world precisely because, as the Son who knows the Love of the Father, He communicates to men the truth of them and of God:
God is Father and we are His children.
As is clear from the previous narration, Jesus did not come to judge, but to save the world (3:17). His judgment is that of the Father of life, who does not judge, but justifies.
The awareness of being "the" Son of God, central in His revelation, will be the reason for His condemnation and of our salvation. "These words, as often in John, seem to contradict what has just been said: "I do not judge anyone". Jesus does not judge as man, according to the flesh, but judges as God, according to his Spirit, who is Love.
And his judgment is true, unlike that of us.
This judgment will be the cross, the salvation of all flesh.
The reason for the truth of Jesus' judgment is that He is not alone. He is the Son, whose being is relation to the Father.
There is no one without the other. It is the mystery of unity and of the distinction between Father and Son, whose life is mutual love.
Father and Son are two, yet One. In fact, Jesus will say shortly afterwards. "I am (v.58) attributing to Himself what is exclusive of God.
A witness, in order to be accepted in a judgment, must be of two persons. The witness of the Son is always, at the same time, that of the Father: He sent Him to His brothers and sisters precisely to show them His love.
The works of Jesus on behalf of men tell the account of the Father (1:18); and the work of the Father is that men believe in the Son He has sent (6:29). They ask where the Father be. Knowing one's origin is the desire of every man, who is always in search of his identity. Not knowing Jesus, the Son, is not knowing God as Father. To know Him is to know the Father: "He who has seen me has seen the Father".
The flesh of the Word reveals the Word that is in every flesh - "I am departing". Jesus repeats what He said in 7:33 and He will also repeat it to His disciples at the Last Supper. His departing - Jesus never says "I die", full of meanings that embrace the totality of his message, can be seen from different perspectives: on our part it is a killing, on His part it is the gift of life and the fulfillment of His mission, on the part of the Father it is the glorification of the Son and the revelation in Him of "I am". - Jesus, the Son, is the Light of the world. To refuse Him is to kill oneself as children and others as brothers.
This refusal has as its extreme consequence the cross. But right there He will reveal Himself as I-Am, Lord and Saviour of all.
The church experiences in itself the struggle between darkness and light. Through the Gospel narrative, She lives the drama of the Word of life that reveals her resistance of death, but in contemplation of the Son of Man raised up, She captures the mystery of man and of God: She understands how much God loved the world, even to the point of giving His Son, so that through Him She may have life (3:16).