There is a lot of good stuff in today’s reading. I’m struck by John’s humility. He takes the high road and not only speaks highly of Jesus, but he also acknowledges his own limitations. That is not easy. But John has lived a life devoted to God and the mission God gave him. He took his “job” very seriously and has been faithful to his call.
When we take a look at our own lives, do we have that same clarity? Do we know why God put us on this earth? Do we live and breathe out this mission? Jesus called us all to be his disciples. We have all been commanded to spread the word about Jesus’ life-saving power. Eternal life is available for all who believe. How fair would it be to leave anyone out, to keep anyone from hearing this truth? Continue reading “John 3:22-36 – Humility”
Today’s reading is a continuation of the scene from my last reflection. Jesus is hanging out with Nicodemus and has just rocked Nic’s world. There is a huge difference between having head knowledge and having faith. Nicodemus was a smart man who knew his Scriptures. Jesus knew that without a doubt. But Nicodemus was having a hard time assimilating all that knowledge into an understanding of what Jesus was trying to say.
Jesus has really made a splash in Jerusalem. While we don’t hear specifically about the miraculous signs he’s done, the people are paying attention. However, Jesus knows the human heart and how fickle it can be. He knows that selfish ambitions drive most humans. So, he is not going to let his guard down and trust their apparent allegiance.
We aren’t told when this story happens other than it is near the time of the Jewish Passover. Many times we’ll hear, “the next day,” but here we don’t. This could be a story inserted from any of the Passovers that Jesus celebrated with his disciples. In the other gospels, this story appears near the end of Jesus’ ministry. In John, however, it is one of the first stories. Watch the scene 
The gospel of Mark also tells of this wedding feast in Cana. For a bit of history, a wedding celebration in Jesus’ day could last for a week. That helps me understand how gallons of wine could be needed. I have always liked this story because while it was the kick off of Jesus’ ministry, it reminds us how human Jesus actually was. He even talked back to his mom just a little bit.
