Monday after Cantate
Scripture: St. John 8:12-20 (NKJV)
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” 13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 17 It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.” 19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.” 20 These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.
Devotion
“In this way, Scripture calls the natural man simply ‘darkness’ in spiritual and divine things (Eph. 5:8 ; Acts 26:18). ‘The light shines in the darkness (that is, in the dark, blind world which neither knows nor regards God) and the darkness has not comprehended it’ ( John 1:5 ). Moreover, Scripture teaches that the man who is ‘in sin’ is not only weak and sick, but that he is truly lifeless and ‘dead’ (Eph. 2:1 , 5 ; Col. 2:13)” (FC SD II par 9).
There are two things which Jesus knows and the unbelieving Pharisees do not know. “I know where I come from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going.” 1. Having been sent by the heavenly Father from Heaven, these words indicate origin—Jesus is the divine Son of God, Who has taken on human flesh. 2. Jesus is ascending back to Heaven by way of the cross. The intent of these words is to show forth Jesus’ purpose in atoning for the sins of the world. Jesus came “…to be a sacrifice not only for original sin, but also for all other sin and to propitiate God’s wrath” (AC II).
When we come to know Who God is and what He has done, then Jesus, the Light of the world, has drawn us to Himself. We also know the Father, because He is with Jesus, and always is bearing witness to His beloved Son.
Prayer: We thank You Almighty God for having liberated us from the darkness of ignorance and the bondage of sin and death through Your Son, and for having illuminated us through Baptism and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
