"Even if you do not believe me, believe my works"

Today’s readings: Jeremiah 20:10-13; John 10:31-42

In a week we will be celebrating the love of Christ choosing the cross. This next week is important and should encourage reflection.

But what about the passages today? It seems that they fit well with pointing us to next week.

In the Gospel, Jesus is trying to help the people to see that he is the Son of God. But, they are having a tough time because they believe he is blaspheming. And so he responds: “If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."

In my life right now I believe it can teach me a few things. First, in order to know who Christ is more, I need to look at his works. I'll come back to this one.

I think it also gives us an example about how we are to act. His works showed the world who he was. He told them with his words and his actions. And he was not afraid to speak the truth. We should be the same! We call ourselves Christians. But, do our works show the world who Christ is and how to properly follow him? Or do they point to a different reality (an unfortunate one) where people see our actions and see prejudice, selfishness, pride, arrogance, apathetic toward the struggles of others? This is not who Christ is, and it can't be the image we portray either. Our lives must be a testimony to the infinite and welcoming love of Christ.

Also, he told the truth about who he is. Sometimes people try to tell us not to talk so highly of ourselves. I would agree and disagree. Beginning with the realization that humility is seeing ourselves the way God does...then we have to learn to have true humility. You have to be strong enough to stand up and announce to the world who you are and how you fit in the kingdom of God. On the contrary, we should not have arrogance in our heart. We have to understand that God did not come to save only a handful of people...and our faith in him (or the talents he has gifted us with) does not justify our stand-offish attitude toward others. We all have ways to help others, and areas in which we need help. But, we can't be used properly by God, ourselves, and others if we don't speak truthfully about who we are and what we can do. Be bold and be humble...just like Christ!

Back to the first thing I'm taking from these readings. If you read the Gospel of John in its entirety, this reading is not long after the feeding of the five thousand and right before bringing Lazarus back. But, having it a week before his crucifixion should be telling to us.

He says that even if we can't believe him, believe his works so we will believe the father. Starting this Sunday we enter into Holy Week when we see action after action of Christ living the truth of his father's love. I think the Church is using this passage to say to us...get ready because next week you should have your soul open to receive great love and care!  It should be both exciting and thought-provoking…we know that the Cross leads to the Resurrection and so we should be excited that we will be celebrating all of the life giving acts of Christ.  But, we also need to remember why he gave up his life…why he did all of these things.  IT IS FOR YOU AND ME!  So, next week we must be mindful of all of these things and live differently…with our eyes to the Cross! 

We have one week before we celebrate Christ handing his life over for us. What do you need to do in the next week to be able to receive him more completely? How can you live by his example of bold humility more so that the world can see your works and believe in Christ?