Scripture/Bible: Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33 They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any one. How is it that you say, 'You will be made free'?"
34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father." John 8:31-38
Reflection: If you thought that the written word of God alone will save you then you are sadly mistaken. You are like the many fundamentalist who trod a dangerous path.
It is like sugar, which is sweet tasting and or salt which is nice to taste by itself. Yet, it is not just the beauty of food that is enhanced by these additions but also the tastes of sweetness or saltiness receives a variation, a combined taste and also health inducing properties on account of it.
Likewise, the Word of God, if read in isolation has its own beauty, yet in crude form it could act like a venom. Hence Jesus had to reject Satan who came with the word of God. We think we can be led to the truth yet in reality we could be far from the truth. We may have knowledge about the word and yet we may never know the master who gives us his word.
Just as solid food, however healthy it may be, can act like poison to a new born. But a lactating mother can have the solid food and pass the riches and nourishment to her child through her milk.
Similarly the word of God has to be digested, especially the solid elements in it by Holy mother the church before it is given to her children. The church does it primarily through the dispensation of the sacraments.
If the word of God is all that was required to save us then God had spoken enough and we had the Old Testament or in other words the Law and the prophets. Jesus need not have come to fulfill the law and the prophets.
Through his constant guidance and the help of the Holy Spirit and the support of the Church and the sacred Sacraments which are his ordinary gifts to us we are constantly nourished by a Word which has been made palatable. But the danger exists when sinful men, trusting themselves, make their own additions without reference to sacred Tradition and Magisterium, to a more perfect recipe given to us through the Church.
Thus it is not just the word but Christ the eternal word made man who saves us and we value the word all the more because we love him who gave himself for us and still speaks to us through his word once spoken.
"If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples (you will be part of his church, a disciple of Jesus can’t be a lone ranger), and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."He, who continues in the word, will also know from the word that Christ established the Church on the foundation of Peter’s confession and faith.
Prayer: Thank you Lord for the help you give me through the Catholic Church and its Sacrament.
DD = Dedicated Discipleship: Come grow in the Lord with us
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