Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Jn 8:12-20 “The Light of the World“
April 8, 2019 | Monday

Today’s Gospel

Jesus spoke to them again, saying,
“I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.”
So the Pharisees said to him,
“You testify on your own behalf,
so your testimony cannot be verified.”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Even if I do testify on my own behalf, my testimony can be verified,
because I know where I came from and where I am going.
But you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
You judge by appearances, but I do not judge anyone.
And even if I should judge, my judgment is valid,
because I am not alone,
but it is I and the Father who sent me.
Even in your law it is written
that the testimony of two men can be verified.
I testify on my behalf and so does the Father who sent me.”
So they said to him, “Where is your father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father.
If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
He spoke these words
while teaching in the treasury in the temple area.
But no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

Today’s Reflection

I am the Light of the world; the one who follows me will not walk in darkness. The darkness of sin has enveloped the world. Only He who is the Light of the world can illuminate the darkness of sin and death forever. This is dramatically and ritually performed in the liturgy of the Easter Vigil when the light from the newly blessed paschal candle brightens the whole church building and from it the candles of the faithful are lit. Since the readings during the Lenten season are replete with baptismal themes, it is also good to note that in baptism, we became children of the light. Christ through his paschal mystery has snatched us from the grip of the prince of darkness. Thus, we too share in the light of Christ. For he who follows Him will not walk in darkness but becomes light themselves.