The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to extend John 3:16 to verse 17 and implore the Spirit to guide our action in building up peace, love, compassion, and humility in the world He loves.
The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles continues to present the Trial before the Sanhedrin.
* [5:17–42] A second action against the community is taken by the Sanhedrin in the arrest and trial of the Twelve; cf. Acts 4:1–3. The motive is the jealousy of the religious authorities over the popularity of the apostles (Acts 5:17) who are now charged with the defiance of the Sanhedrin’s previous order to them to abandon their prophetic role (Acts 5:28; cf. Acts 4:18). In this crisis the apostles are favored by a miraculous release from prison (Acts 5:18–24). (For similar incidents involving Peter and Paul, see Acts 12:6–11; 16:25–29.) The real significance of such an event, however, would be manifest only to people of faith, not to unbelievers; since the Sanhedrin already judged the Twelve to be inauthentic prophets, it could disregard reports of their miracles. When the Twelve immediately resumed public teaching, the Sanhedrin determined to invoke upon them the penalty of death (Acts 5:33) prescribed in Dt 13:6–10. Gamaliel’s advice against this course finally prevailed, but it did not save the Twelve from the punishment of scourging (Acts 5:40) in a last endeavor to shake their conviction of their prophetic mission. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 34 is a thanksgiving.
* [Psalm 34] A thanksgiving in acrostic form, each line beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this Psalm one letter is missing and two are in reverse order. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Ps 34:5, 7), can teach the “poor,” those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone (Ps 34:4, 12). God will make them powerful (Ps 34:5–11) and give them protection (Ps 34:12–22). (Psalms, PSALM 34 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of John continues Jesus' interaction with Nicodemus.
* [3:16] Gave: as a gift in the incarnation, and also “over to death” in the crucifixion; cf. Rom 8:32.
* [3:17–19] Condemn: the Greek root means both judgment and condemnation. Jesus’ purpose is to save, but his coming provokes judgment; some condemn themselves by turning from the light.
* [3:19] Judgment is not only future but is partially realized here and now. (John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)
Sherri Brown is always careful to proclaim John 3:16–17 (the two verses together).
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish 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. (John 3:16–17)
John teaches us not just what God did for us through the gift of his Son, but that God did this for us. God’s goal is not for judging and condemning, but for saving. This should, thereby, also be our goal in any concomitant mission we deem in our own lives. Such a focus for our vocations as Christians is so important in these scary, divisive times. Our guiding force must always be God’s guiding emotion: love. Love not condemnation. Cultivation, not denigration. Building up, not tearing down. This is how we will share in God’s love and thrive in this world. (Brown, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The Intensity of God's Love and Our Response”, by John Chrysostom, 347-407 A.D.
"The text, 'God so loved the world,' shows such an intensity of love. For great indeed and infinite is the distance between the two. The immortal, the infinite majesty without beginning or end loved those who were but dust and ashes, who were loaded with ten thousand sins but remained ungrateful even as they constantly offended him. This is who he 'loved.' For God did not give a servant, or an angel or even an archangel 'but his only begotten Son.' And yet no one would show such anxiety even for his own child as God did for his ungrateful servants..."
"He laid down his life for us and poured forth his precious blood for our sake - even though there is nothing good in us - while we do not even pour out our money for our own sake and neglect him who died for us when he is naked and a stranger... We put gold necklaces on ourselves and even on our pets but neglect our Lord who goes about naked and passes from door to door... He gladly goes hungry so that you may be fed; naked so that he may provide you with the materials for a garment of incorruption, yet we will not even give up any of our own food or clothing for him... These things I say continually, and I will not cease to say them, not so much because I care for the poor but because I care for your souls." (HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 27.2-3) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Acts 5:17-26 comments on the good news that motivated the apostles and filled them with the courage to continue preaching. It’s the same good news that has been changing people’s lives for two thousand years. It has given saints the grace to find joy in poverty. It has made martyrs into pillars of strength for others. It has healed wounded marriages, converted hardened sinners, and filled ordinary people with the grace to show extraordinary love.
Today, you can tell people about “this life.” You can tell them that they don’t have to wait for the hereafter; they can experience heaven here and now! Where the world offers kind thoughts or greeting-card sentimentality, you can offer the firm hope of God’s love and mercy. You can let the message of Easter radiate out of you through your kindness, your persistent joy, and your humility because the life of the risen Christ is living and active in you and through you.
So how will you “tell the people everything about this life” today?
“Jesus, help me to share the good news of your life and to continue your mission today!” (Meditation on Acts 5:17-26, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that the response of the Sadducees to the preaching of the apostles after their release from prison by the angel is to realize that the Word cannot be imprisoned. John teaches that Jesus came to reveal who God is, what He wants, and more so to show His boundless Love. Friar Jude reminds us that the one sin in John is to reject God and condemn oneself to darkness.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes how nature reflects and reveals the wisdom and presence of the Divine. He asks “Have you ever had an encounter like this in nature? Perhaps for you, it occurred at a lake or by the seashore, hiking in the mountains, in a garden listening to a mourning dove, even at a busy street corner.” Such innate theology grows us, expands us, and enlightens us almost effortlessly. All other God talk seems artificial and heady in comparison.
Strangely, many Christians today limit God’s provident care to humans, and very few of them at that. How different we are from Jesus, who extended the divine generosity to sparrows, lilies, ravens, donkeys, the grasses of the fields (Luke 12:24, 27–28). No stingy God here! But what stinginess on our side made us limit God’s concern—even eternal concern—to just ourselves? If God chooses and doles out care, we are always insecure and unsure whether we’re among the lucky recipients. Yet once we become aware of the generous, creative Presence that exists in all things by their very nature, we can honor the Indwelling Spirit as the inner Source of all dignity and worthiness. Dignity is not doled out to the supposedly worthy; it grounds the inherent worthiness of things in their very nature and existence. (Rohr, n.d.)
We invite the Spirit to enlighten our understanding of the Love of God for the world to include All Creation and the people and creatures who inhabit the Home gifted us by the Father through the Love of The Son.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/5?17
Brown, S. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/043025.html
John, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/3?16
Meditation on Acts 5:17-26. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/04/30/1265070/
Psalms, PSALM 34 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/34?2
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Listening to Nature’s Sermons. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/listening-to-natures-sermons/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 30, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=apr30
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