Abundant Life

This week I am sharing a reflection for this Sunday's Gospel from a Brother of mine. Br. Javier is from Mexico and is going to school in Chicago. He is a simply professed Friar with Holy Name Province. We were classmates at the Novitiate. Br. Javier has a deep love for scripture. His reflections often challenge us to truly live a gospel life. I am grateful that he has allowed me to share his reflection in my blog. I hope it inspires and challenges you as much as it did me.

Fourth Sunday of Easter / May 7, 2017

Gospel: John 10: 1-10

          Have you ever thought what was the most important mission of Jesus on this earth? The gospel today gives us the answer: Jesus came so that we all might have abundant life. Life, not death, is the real passion of Jesus. Bringing life is what moved Jesus’ energies, imagination, and desires. Jesus’ relationships and encounters were always focused on bringing life, awakening life, or restoring life. Bringing life is what made Jesus to reach those who were permanently excluded, abused and rejected. All the words, actions, and decisions of Jesus had this single purpose: to bring abundant life for all.

             Jesus was committed to this mission until the end of his life because he always believed this was the only and authentic will of God: that every person, regardless of their condition, may have abundant life, here and now. The life Jesus loved and promoted is nothing else than a life fully and truly human. Indeed, Jesus, the Logos made flesh that dwelt among us, embraced our humanity and our world and taught us how to transform them for good. Thus, Jesus gave human life a profound meaning: the more human we are by loving one another, the more divine we become; loving one another is the only way to testify our love for God. 

            Jesus loved life and everything that promotes life in all its manifestations more than anything else. The Johannine community who wrote today’s gospel, believed that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, which simply means: Jesus, with his own life, showed us the way that truly leads to life. Jesus wanted people in love with life, committed to bring life and to restore life wherever it is more necessary. For us today, are we being truly disciples of this Jesus who loved life so passionately and who also sent his disciples (and us) to bring abundant life for all? What are we doing today, here and now, to promote and restore life in all its manifestations so that all those around us may have it abundantly?

                                                                                          - Javier Del Angel De los Santos

Those are good questions for us to ask ourselves in this Easter season and in each season of our lives.

Abundant life and it is ours... a free gift from our loving and generous God!

Today, tomorrow, this week and all the days of our lives may we be people who are life-giving in Jesus our Risen Lord who is the way, the truth and the life.