Gospel Reading: John 5:31-47

³¹”If I testify on my own behalf, what I say is not to be accepted as real proof.

³² But there is someone else who testifies on my behalf, and I know that what he says about me is true.

³³ John is the one to whom you sent your messengers, and he spoke on behalf of the truth.

³⁴ It is not that I must have a man’s witness; I say this only in order that you may be saved.

³⁵ John was like a lamp, burning and shining, and you were willing for a while to enjoy his light.

³⁶ But I have a witness on my behalf which is even greater than the witness that John gave: what I do, that is, the deeds my father gave me to do, these speak on my behalf and show that the Father has sent me.

³⁷ And the Father who sent me, also testifies on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his face,

³⁸ and you do not keep his message in your hearts, for you do not believe in the one whom he sent.

³⁹ You study the scriptures, because you think that in them you will find eternal life. And these very scriptures speak about me!

⁴⁰ Yet you are not willing to come to me in order to have life.

⁴¹ “I am not looking for human praise.

⁴² But I know what kind of people you are, and I know that you have no love for God in your hearts.

⁴³ I have come with my father’s authority, you will receive him.

⁴⁴ You like to receive praise from another, but you do not try to win praise from the one who alone is God; how, then, can you believe me?

⁴⁵ Do not think, however, that I am the one who will accuse you to my Father. Moses, in whom you have put your hope, is the very one who will accuse you.

⁴⁶ If you have really believed Moses, you would have believed me, because he wrote about me.

⁴⁷ But since you do not believe what he wrote, how can you believe what I say?”

Reflection:

“If you have really believed Moses, you would have believed me, because he wrote about me.” Jesus threw those words to the Jewish authorities because they don’t believe that He was the Son of the Father.

Let me illustrate my point by sharing this story: Once there was a flood, and a woman so faithful to God was one of the victims. The flood was about thirty meters high. The woman prayed, “God please help me here, don’t let me die!” A boat came to rescue but the woman did not come with them. The flood gets higher and the woman prayed again, “God please help me here, the flood gets higher” and another rescue boat came. Again, the woman did not come with them. The flood gets higher and the woman prayed again, there comes a rescue helicopter but for the third time the woman did not come with them. The flood got high and the woman have no place to go. She prayed before she drowned, “God, why have you forgotten me?”

The woman believed and have strong faith in God. She didn’t forget to pray and ask for God’s help. And it is good. But what was wrong is that the woman rejected the rescuers. God sent them to help the victims, but the woman did not come with them. The woman was expecting that God will save her, and He sent a savior in the presence of Jesus Christ. The Woman expects that God would be the one who would save her. Let us believe in God, and accept the help that other people offer to us. God extends His hands in the form of other people.