Gospel Reading: John 3.14-21
Jesus said to Nicodemus: ‘Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.’
In ‘The Ministry of the Word’, the Revd Alan Garrow says:
“John portrays a world that is already lost. It lives according to its own ‘lights’, which give no light at all. The situation is parallel to that in [the Old Testament reading], where God acted and provided a focus (the bronze snake on a staff) as a sign of his saving involvement with them. John reuses the image of God entering a situation of chaos to provide a means of escape. He presents Jesus as the snake that is lifted up as a sign to the people of God’s faithful love for them,…John combines this image with that of light coming into darkness. Jesus is like a raised torch that brings order to chaos, hope to despair. As with the bronze serpent, there are two ways of responding to God’s actions in Jesus. We can turn away for shame or we can turn and be forgiven. Unless we are perfect, we will always be embarrassed by the light, but if we allow it to reveal who we really are, then God’s healing work of forgiveness can take place.”
Prayers of Intercession
Let us pray to God that in his light, we also may see light.
Thanks to Lay Anglicana, sidebar
Thanks to Laura Sykes
Saint Alban Episcopal Mission, Antigua, Guatemala
You are invited to join us for English services every Sunday at Noon.
Casa Convento Concepcion, Antigua Guatemala, All are welcome.
See welcome letter at the sidebar.
St. Alban English Mission, Antigua, Guatemala is an outreach project of The St. James English parish, Episcopal Diocese of Guatemala, IARCA
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Bishop Armando Guerra Soria, Rector of St. Alban Mission, Bishop of Guatemala and Primate Emeritus of Central America
The Rev. Ricardo FrohmaderAssociate MinisterSaint Alban Episcopal MissionAntigua Guatemala
2366 0599; 3344 9641
You are invited to join us for English services every Sunday at Noon.
Casa Convento Concepcion, Antigua Guatemala, All are welcome.
See welcome letter at the sidebar.
St. Alban English Mission, Antigua, Guatemala is an outreach project of The St. James English parish, Episcopal Diocese of Guatemala, IARCA
Bishop Armando Guerra Soria, Rector of St. Alban Mission, Bishop of Guatemala and Primate Emeritus of Central America
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The Rev. Ricardo Frohmader Associate Minister Saint Alban Episcopal Mission Antigua Guatemala 2366 0599; 3344 9641 |