"Ang kamatuoran amo ang magahilway sa inyo"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Juan 8:31-42)

Karon, nagsiling si Jesus sa mga Judio nga nagtuo sa iya, "Kon padayon kamo nga nagatuman sa akon mga ginatudlo, matuod gid nga kamo akon mga sumulunod.

Mahibaluan ninyo ang kamatuoran kag ang kamatuoran amo ang magahilway sa inyo."

Nagsiling sila sa iya, "Mga kaliwat kami ni Abraham, kag wala pa gid sing may nakaulipon sa amon. Ngaa nagasiling ka nga mahilway kami?"

Nagsiling si Jesus, "Sa pagkamatuod, ginasugid ko sa inyo nga ang bisan sin-o nga nagapakasala, ulipon sang sala.

Ang isa ka ulipon umalagi lang sa panimalay, pero ang anak iya permaninte.

Gani kon ang Anak sang Dios amo ang magahilway sa inyo, mahilway gid kamo.

Nahibaluan ko nga mga kaliwat kamo ni Abraham, pero ginatinguhaan ninyo nga patyon ako tungod kay indi kamo magbaton sang akon mga ginatudlo.

Ginasugid ko sa inyo ang mga butang nga akon nakita sa Amay; pero kamo, ginahimo ninyo ang inyo nabatian sa inyo amay."

Nagsiling sila kay Jesus, "Ang amon amay amo si Abraham." Nagsiling si Jesus, "Kon matuod nga mga kaliwat kamo ni Abraham, kuntani ginahimo ninyo ang maayo pareho sang iya mga ginhimo.

Pero ang inyo ginahimo, ginatinguhaan ninyo nga patyon ako, bisan wala ako sing may nahimo kundi nagsugid man lang ako sa inyo sang kamatuoran nga akon nabatian halin sa Dios. Si Abraham wala gid nakahimo pareho sining inyo ginahimo.

Pero ang inyo ginahimo pareho man sa ginahimo sang inyo amay." Nagsiling sila, "Indi kami mga anak sa guwa. Ang Dios amo ang amon Amay."

Nagsiling si Jesus sa ila, "Kon matuod nga ang Dios amo ang inyo Amay, kuntani palanggaon ninyo ako, kay ako naghalin sa Dios. Wala ako nagkadto diri sa kalibutan sa akon lang luyag, kundi siya amo ang nagpadala sa akon.

Prayers:

"Lord Jesus, write your words of love and truth upon my heart and make me a diligent student and a worthy disciple of your word."

***

Reflection of the Daily Gospel:

What saved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed'nego from the fiery furnace? It was their obedience to God’s will. They were willing to suffer death rather than disobey their God. God was with them in the fiery furnace and he rewarded them for their faithfulness. Jesus came to do the will of his Father in heaven. He was not spared the cross which he willing embraced for our sake. His obedience reversed the curse of Adam’s disobedience. The Father crowned him with victory over sin, death, and Satan. Jesus shows us the way to true freedom and victory – by freely submitting our heart, mind, and will to an all-merciful, all-loving, and all-wise God. What the Father offers us in exchange is a kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans14:17). The happiest, freest people are those who delight in God. Their joy is the pleasure of doing the Father’s will. Do you know the joy of obeying God and trusting in his life-giving word?

The world presents us with a false notion of truth and freedom – “truth is relative so I choose my own criteria for what is true” and worldly freedom means “I can do whatever I please – regardless of what God or others might think.” This is really a mask for slavery to one’s passions and unruly desires. Jesus offers his disciples true freedom – freedom from slavery to pride and arrogance, disbelief and ignorance, selfishness and greed, hatred and revenge, fear and anxiety, despair and depression, and a host of many other hurtful desires and addictions which cripple our lives. The good news is that Jesus Christ has truly set us free from sin and its destructive force in our lives. How is this possible? Through the gift and power of the Holy Spirit we can choose to renounce sin and we can yield to God's grace which enables us to walk each day and each moment in Christ’s way of love and holiness.

A disciple is a follower and a listener. If we want to follow Christ and live as his disciples, then we must listen to the words of Jesus, with a humble and teachable spirit. As we listen with faith and obey with trust, Christ himself gives us grace – the enabling power of his Holy Spirit – to live, think, and act in the truth of his word. Do you believe in the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to change your life and to set you free to walk in Christ's way of love and holiness? .