Today’s Scripture Readings

Gospel Reading

NRSV

If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’ Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

The beauty of knowing Jesus is we have an intimate connection with the whole Trinity. The challenge is to keep encountering Jesus in our daily lives. For me this means making time just to gaze upon the face of Jesus in my prayer time. Ironically, the times I least do this is when I am stressed, anxious or have a big problem. I tend to then stop spending that time just sitting at the feet of Jesus and start to become self-reliant instead of God- reliant.

This passage reminds me that to know Jesus is to know the very nature of God – a nature characterised by humble service, radical mercy, and a desire for my freedom from whatever tombs of complacency or fear currently bind me. It also reaffirms the fact that we have a mission, that He has created us to do works and in fact, greater works than He did.

In all Jesus’ works the overwhelming motivation is love and so when I look at my life, I ask myself how much of my works are purely motivated by deep love for others. I am left with the reality that I have a responsibility to others to live out the love that Jesus shows me I am capable of.

+ Lord Jesus, draw us more deeply into conversion. Stir up the gifts You have placed within us, that we may boldly proclaim Your Gospel and serve as instruments of Your peace and healing in the world. Amen.

In what area of my life is Jesus calling me to surrender self-reliance?