Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32

It’s heating up, again. Jesus is faced with those who are not happy with what He’s saying. Instead of hearing the good news that they will be free if they remain in His word and know the truth, they want to argue that they are already free because they are descendants of Abraham. They are looking at it all wrong and missing the connection. So, He clarifies that the freedom He brings is a freedom from the slavery to sin which is where they are bound. Why? Because they are caught in their pride as the chosen people and not understanding that Jesus has come to show them the truth of what God wants for them. Instead of hearing and believing, they are hearing and rejecting. He says they are trying to kill Him, “because my word has no room among you.” They are listening to a different father, the father of lies. When they try to repeat that they belong to Abraham, Jesus is forced to remind them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here.” 

Where do we find ourselves in this passage? This time of Lent is given to us to examine in our own lives the places where we are in slavery to sin. We all have things that keep God’s word from finding a home in us. When we hear that Scripture passage, that homily, that Church teaching that pricks at our hearts and conscience, we all know that we need to heed that call, but because it makes us uncomfortable, we push it away. That is very much like what these followers do who just want to rely on their lineage to save them. 

We all know the lines we feed ourselves. “I go to church on Sundays. I put the money in the basket. I’m basically a good person.” Jesus is calling us to not count on the fact that we go to church or try to be good to save us. God wants all of us and He knows that true freedom and happiness means diving deeply into those areas that we want to keep hidden from Him. He wants to heal and break the chains that we aren’t even always aware of. Are you ready to let those links fall away and trust that He came for you? 

Reflection Questions: What areas are you still trying to hide from Jesus? Do you realize that He already knows them and the only one you are fooling is yourself? Are you brave enough to let His light shine on that area so that He can come in and free you? 

Prayer: Jesus, I want to make room in me for your Word. I want to be free. God is my Father and I love You. Help me love You more. Amen.