(Is 49: 8-15; Ps 145: 8-9, 13CD-14, 17-18; Jn 5: 17-30)
The words from the first reading from the prophet Isaiah is filled with tenderness of God’s love for us. These are words of healing, words of hope for the future. They show just how deeply God loves us and is concerned for our welfare. God’s words today are like a healing balm for your soul and are very comforting. “For the Lord comforts his people and shows mercy to his afflicted.”
One of the most beautiful verses in the bible, that conveys God’s tender love for us is in the first reading today. “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” Even if we have a loving mother, this scripture verse still conveys the fact that God loves us no matter what. Even if no one else loves us, God does and He always will. This is something we should never question.
The gospel reading today is also filled with the Holy Spirit and are living words that come alive in the heart. They tell of the special relationship Jesus has with his Father. The love between Jesus and his Father is beautifully depicted and these words are filled with the Holy Spirit. This is how we know the Holy Trinity. The Father and Jesus’ love for one another and the Holy Spirit that exists between them that is also poured out upon the whole world.
Jesus Christ is the Living Word and he says that “who ever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me, has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life.” This is too beautiful too explain any further. It is something we should have etched into our souls, or printed and framed and put on the wall of our homes, so that any time we feel judged by someone we can remember that Jesus Christ will not condemn us. Jesus Christ is the one who matters and it doesn’t matter what other people think of us, whether that happens to be good or bad. Jesus’ opinion really is the only opinion of us that matters in the end.
The Lord goes on to say that “the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” This is comforting. It is not just comforting for ourselves to hear this, but it is also comforting when we remember our family and friends who have passed before us too. Jesus really is the key to eternal life and we can trust him and we can trust his words.
The Lord does say we will be judged though, by how we have lived our lives. Jesus is the only one who will judge us and we are very lucky, because his judgment will be just. We can’t always say the same about other human beings, because they do not see things the way God does. Jesus said his judgment is just because it isn’t his own. He has no ulterior motives, like human beings sometimes do. We can be at peace knowing that the Lord will know both the good and the bad about us, but it will be seen in light of God’s love for us. And God loves us with great tenderness, mercy and compassion.
