Jesus said to Niclodemus:

Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,

So must the Son of Man be lifted up,

So that everyone who 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 parish.

But might have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,

but that the world might be saved through him.

Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,

but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,

because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. 

But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,

so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. 

 

John 3:14-21; L32B

 

Throughout our lives we undergo many passages.  As we grow up, we experience many kinds of “growing pains” (physical, emotional, spiritual), and our parents are often the ones who explain, encourage and allay our fears.  We also experience many kinds of transitions:  from parents providing a home to independent living; from high school to college; from single life to married life.  All of these passages bring challenge, excitement, fear.  This is no less true of our growing in being followers of Jesus.  Looking to Jesus, we find the One who, having gone before us, can help us pass over to new life.

 

The most important and continuing “passing over” we face is begin in baptism where we are plunged into Christ’s death so to rise to new life.  This is the paschal mystery.  The dying and rising rhythm of the paschal mystery is the very pattern of our Christian living and discipleship.

 

Daily living calls us to die to self for the good of others.  In the very dying, we pattern ourselves after the life and ministry of Jesus who, although exhausted spoke to the little ones, always cured those who came to him, fully accepted people who were sinners.  In this dying is our life,

 

Living Liturgy 2009