Jesus and Abraham

Today's Reflections 

 

                                                            

 

Jesus and Abraham 

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Jn 8:31-42

³¹Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, ³²and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ³³They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” ³⁴Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. ³⁶So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free. ³⁷I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. ³⁸I tell you what I have seen in the Father’s presence; then do what you have heard from the Father.”

³⁹They answered and said to him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to  them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. ⁴⁰But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. ⁴¹You are doing the works of your father!” [So] they said to him, “We are not illegitimate. We have one Father, God.” ⁴²Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”

A Slave of Sin. Not many people realize that sin enslaves the sinner. Slavery is not pleasurable. No one would want to be a slave of anyone or anything. Everyone wants to be free, that is, to do as one pleases and not to be coerced or forced by anyone or anything. But that is exactly what happens when people sin.

Unfortunately, people are not aware of it. They are so focused on the pleasure sin brings that they do not notice that the lure of pleasure is like a noose tightening around the neck. Sin is seen not as harmful but as pleasurable and so desirable. Before they know it, people are so caught up in sin that they are trapped in a quicksand—the more they try to wiggle out, the faster and deeper they sink.

Jesus shows us the way out: “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

“For what is it to continue in God’s word,

but to yield to no temptations.

Without labor, the reward would be gratis;

if with, then a great reward indeed” (St. Augustine).