Gospel Message & Recording
In the Gospel Reading today, taken from St. John 6: 35-46, we see Jesus speaking about Himself in relation to His Father. Jesus says, “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day.” What does Christ mean when he says, “all He has given Me, I should lose nothing?” First, the question arises what did God the Father give to His Son. Biblically and theologically speaking Christ and His Father are one and the same. So whatever is in the Father; it is in the Son, and vice versa.
When the Son of God became a man, he took on himself human nature; and thus, he personified/embodied all that is beautiful about humanity. This includes the talents and gifts that Christ so wonderfully demonstrated here on earth, that is, preaching, teaching, healing, compassion, forgiveness, etc. What is of paramount importance is that what was given to Christ can never be taken away.
Likewise, we have talents and gifts that God has given to us. No one can take that from us. It is ours to keep until we are raised up on the last day. Even though this is the reality, since we are sons and daughters of God, we don’t live like it. We look at others and observe the talents and gifts they have and become jealous. We are in turn never satisfied with who we are and hence do not live up to our full potential. As the Late Blessed Barnabas Thirumeni would say, “infinite potentiality!” Until and unless we are satisfied with the way God made us, in all aspects, we will never fulfill the plans that God has prepared for us. Further, there is an internal fear that someone will take our place of honor or recognition. Once again, what God has planned for us, no one can take.
Everything you need is inside of you to become who you were born to be in Christ Jesus our Lord. You can lose nothing to anyone or anything. There is, however, one caveat! We can lose it to ourselves. In other words, we are our worst enemy!
Often in life, we want to blame someone or something for our problems. But if we look inside ourselves we can see that it’s our jealousy that is keeping us back. It’s our sin that keeps us away from living holy. Indeed, the demonic forces are present causing our temptations. But ultimately, we can only blame ourselves. The struggles are present. Christ struggles in the Garden of Gethsemane. So also we struggle. But if we fight through it, we will lose nothing. And God will not cast us away.
Look inside of yourself and ask, “What has God given me.” Secondly, ask, “What am I doing with it.” If we continuously look at how others are, or what others have, we will miss the opportunities that God has placed before us. Because we are too busy looking around, rather than looking within ourselves.
When we look at ourselves we will:
Be determined to be satisfied and happy with our talents and gifts
Discourage ourselves from comparing and contrasting with others
Lessen our fear of others because we begin to learn the plans God has for us
The good news is God is willing to help us look within ourselves and change our lives for the better. Today might your day! The day you stop looking around and start looking within yourself and realize what God the Father has given you (in Christ Jesus). And that should not be lost but used for the glory of God.