by
Father David Daly, LC
John 3:13-17
Jesus said to Nicodemus: No one has gone up to heaven except the
one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as
Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man
be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal
life." For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so
that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have
eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through
him.
Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, as I take these moments
to pray, please enlighten my mind and strengthen my will so that I
can follow you faithfully. I believe that you are the Way, the
Truth and the Life. Thank you for becoming man and dying for me in
order to save me from my sins.
Petition: Lord, grant me the grace to be aware of
your presence throughout this day.
1. No One Has Gone up to Heaven. We are all
looking for never-ending happiness -- we are all looking for
heaven! There is one problem: In this world we cannot find it. No
human being has the words of everlasting life. No matter how hard
we try to make heaven on earth, we will fail. If we try, the
outcome is always existential frustration.
2. God Gave His Only Son. Only Jesus holds the key
to happiness. Only through him can I can find unending peace and
happiness, for whoever believes in him will have eternal life. It
is hard to grasp this mystery that God gave his only son for my
sake. Only through faith can I begin to understand Gods love for
me in Christ.
3. Not to Condemn the World. Many of our
contemporaries cry out, Yes to God, No to the Church. They feel
that the Church has come to condemn, since she is a voice crying
out in the wilderness on behalf of the truth. No! Jesus did not
come to condemn the world and neither does the Church. He came to
show us the way to heaven and has left us the Church as an
unfailing guide.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord Jesus, thank you for
this prayer and for the many graces you have given me. I believe
that you have come to save and not to condemn. You have saved me by
your grace and I want to bring you to others!
Resolution: Lord, I promise to remember today that
you are my savior and share this insight with someone else.