Warning!

 

Then Jesus cried aloud: “Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.”



Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). A little later, just before he healed a man who was born blind, he said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). And again, still later, he said, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you.” 


He continues, “Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” (John 12:35-36) And here he says again, “I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness” (John 12:46)


The world is in darkness, as we have reflected upon several times before. And we are called to be children of the light, as we have also reflected upon several times before. So, what’s new today? How about we reflect on the question: if that is what we are called to be — a light of the world — why is it that we don’t shine bright? Why is the darkness not fleeing before us? Why are people not attracted to the light and, therefore, remain in darkness?


The answer is simple. We are far away from Jesus. While we might pay him lip service, and some of us do this vociferously, our hearts are very far away from him. Because if we receive Jesus, we have to receive the words that he says. We cannot believe in one and reject the other. And yet, that is what we do. We act like the things Jesus says are on a menu, and we pick and choose the ones we want to follow but discard the rest. 


Let us please think about this because there is a Judgement Day and we will be called to account for our actions. What excuses are we going to proffer? Paul said, “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” 


How many of these are we guilty of? How many of these do we justify? Let us not say we have not been warned.

 


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