The Reveal
Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent (C)
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
John 8:12-20 - 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.
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
By our nature we are finite, meaning we have limits. By His nature God is infinite, meaning He has no limits. This being the case, God is beyond what we can understand. This does not mean that we cannot know anything about God; it just means that we cannot know everything about God. Now, a bit of what we can know about God, we know by using our reason. (Our limited minds can understand, for instance that: God exists, that God started all that has been made, that God is intelligent, etc.…) But there is more that we must know of God that our reason cannot arrive at. This must be shown to us. It must be revealed. God chose to reveal Himself to us. He chose to reveal Himself to us by sending His Son.
St. John the Apostle, who writes this Gospel, is arguably the closest human to Jesus (apart from Jesus’ mother) in the later part of Jesus’s life on earth. He refers to Jesus as the “Word of God” (John 1:1-14). God the Father says in Jesus, His Word, everything He wishes to say or reveal to us. Jesus reveals to us God’s loving attributes. Jesus reveals to us God’s loving plan. Jesus reveals to us God’s loving mercy and salvation. Jesus reveals to us God’s loving inner life, with Him and the Holy Spirit, together as a Trinity. Jesus gives us the perfect visible image of the invisible God. St. John puts it like this: “No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him” (John 1:18). Do you really want to know God? Get to know Jesus!
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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