We are His

Today’s Gospel Text:  All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; 39 and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:37-40

Reflection: These words of Jesus are full of assurance and strength; “All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out.”

This assurance should gladden anyone and should spur them on to continue in all faith with the Lord who assures us of his presence and strength.

This passage sometimes makes me wonder about its truth; what happened to Judas then, was he not cast out?

A close look at Judas’ story will help us realize that it is not Jesus who cast him out, neither has Jesus in his life time cast out anyone who has come to him.

It means that Jesus may have been reluctant to answer their prayers or may not answer them.

In other words, he may rebuke and correct us but he will never cast us out if we come to him.

It means that we may sin and may commit the many sins on account of our many weaknesses but he is not the one who is going to cast us out; for he came to save us and in him is our Salvation. 

What may happen is that by deliberately indulging in sinful activities and behavior that goes against God’s holy will we may open ourselves more and more to Satan and his rebellious ways and thus may find ourselves move away from Christ by our own free will.

Judas made a choice of going out from the presence of Christ and rejecting him. He had his plans and ideas in place and put it into practice little realizing that he was accomplishing the work of Satan and being his instrument.

Hence it is necessary for us not to remain in our sinfulness for long but to repent and turn to him who is merciful.

Prayer:  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Ps 51:10-12

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us