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. Whoever believes in Him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. Fore everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the tructh comes into the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
--John 3: 16-21
Gospel for April 26
The Cross of Christ
Although He was the light to enlighten all nations, Jesus was destined in His won day and in every age to be a sign disparaged, a sign oppressed, a sign of contradiction. This has been true of the prophets of
So the Cross becomes light; the Cross becomes salvation. Isn’t this perhaps the good news for the poor and for all who know the bitter taste of suffering? The cross of poverty, the cross of hunger, the cross of every other suffering can be transformed, since Christ’s Cross has become a light in our world. It is the light of hope and salvation. It gives meaning to all human suffering. It brings with it the promise of an eternal life, free from sorrow, free from sin. The Cross was followed by the Resurrection… And all who are united to the crucified and risen Lord can look forward to sharing in this selfsame victory.
--Agenda for the Third Millennium
April 26 Meditation
From A Year With John Paul II
I love John’s Gospel. His words, his cadences are almost like poetry. I love reading them out loud. I marvel at the concept that Christ is the Light of the World, our salvation, our hope, and yet we reject him, continuing to live in the darkness because we prefer our evil not be exposed.
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