Today’s First Reading speaks of the word of God growing and spreading. In today’s Gospel Our Lord, just before the account of the Last Supper in John’s Gospel, says his word will judge those who accept or reject it, not him. He teaches us today that his word goes beyond him, beyond his humanity to not only being the word of God, a word that cannot be discounted, but a word of truth. When we stand before him at the end of our lives and are judged, he won’t need to say much of anything. Everything he said and taught will be evidently true, as well as whether we heeded his words or not. There’ll be no spin, no legal chicanery, just things presented as they are.
Our Lord in today’s Gospel doesn’t just lend credence to his word because he has said it. He lends credence to it because his Father has taught him and told him to say it. As believers we too have been taught by Jesus and told to share his teachings and truth with others, because they are the word of God. His word, as the First Reading reminds us, has great power.
The word of God is eternal life. Let’s not stay in the dark and help others come to hear it as well.
Readings: Acts 12:24–13:5a; Psalm 67:2–6, 8; John 12:44–50. See also 4th Week of Easter, Wednesday.