The light came into the world

John 3:16 is a familiar Johannine Gospel verse to many of us. The message about God's great love for all, that he sends his only-begotten Son, never fails to uplift our spirits. It tells us that Jesus came not to condemn but to save us.

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However, today's Gospel pericope gives us a complete picture of Jesus' message. While it is true that Jesus came not to condemn but to save us, it does not mean that we are already free to do whatever we want. Oftentimes, condemnation is a thing we inflict upon ourselves. We experience God's great love through Jesus Christ, his Son.

This same Jesus is the Light that came into the world for people not to any more live in darkness. However, there are those who do not want to come to the Light out of fear that their evil deeds will be exposed.

Do we really recognize God's great love for us? Are we truly disposed to accept Jesus our Light even if we will be challenged to change our ways? Can we stop condemning ourselves by living a virtuous life?

First Reading • Acts 5:17-26