Wednesday April 30, 2025

John 3:16-21

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost

but may have eternal life.

For God sent his Son into the world

not to condemn the world,

but so that through him the world might be saved.

Well here is the good news:God is working overtime to Save not condemn. Somehow I thought his natural inclination was to condemn. I was led to believe that a good Christian, indeed a good Catholic is one who punctuates his life with Penance. We actually had a guy who was sent away from seminary because he was always happy and cracking jokes. He was considered not serious enough. Frankly he pushed the limits too but you were almost guaranteed a good laughing time when Michael Maganga was around. We, the seminarians, very quickly got the message. Look sad and miserable and they (The Priests in seminary) will consider you holy and serious.

Did you know Pope Francis asked the major seminaries why they were producing little monsters as priests. He seriously was concerned that the younger priests were little monsters terrorizing the people of God who are simply trying to get by. Not all the young priests of course but enough to concern the Pope.

Anyway back to the message: Jesus is saying to Nicodemus that if only the scribes and Pharisees could see that he is not the enemy here. There was so much opposition to Jesus and the whole place was so toxic that they eventually killed in the name of God. Meet the good in people and you will most likely lead them to God. But if you always condemn, well it either drives them away or you create holy monsters. I can’t stand the latter.