There are moments in life that change us for the better or for the worst forever. They change our whole outlook on life and even our way of living – such as a serious sickness or near-death experience, love, studies, people from different countries or religion, a deception or betrayal, becoming a parent, or a spiritual awakening in a retreat. These experiences call us to reorganize our life view and our lifestyle.
In today’s Gospel Jesus calls the Israelites in the temple and us today to one of those experiences. He is calling us to live out fully the Word of God and to become part of God’s everlasting life. This is meant to be an explosive, new experience for his hearers. It is an invitation to become part of God’s life. Yet, we tend to limit our life based on our expectancy of death. We organize our time, resources, and relationships based on our fear of death. Consequently, we don’t even live the Word of God to its fullness, and we constantly limit the Word of God according to our own whims.
The people in the temple that day were very set in their ways – as the psalm says “hard-hearted”. They could not imagine a life of communion with God. Rather than opening their hearts, deepening their relationship with God and each other, and changing their lifestyle, they condemn and insult Jesus. They physically defend their status quo and go so far as to throw stones at him.
Jesus’ words today should revolutionize our lives. His is one of those life changing moments in life. The reality of living eternally in the love of God can dramatically change our form of relating to others, our use of goods and our whole outlook on life in general. Lent is a time to leave behind our hardened hearts and live, live out the fullness of the Word of God.
Jesus says very clearly today:
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever keeps my word will never see death.
Image: https://church.mt/the-gospel-of-the-day-7th-april-8/