Jesus points out that his listeners have a blind mentality.

 
Reading: If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” John 5:46-47.
 
Good morning, happy Thursday, and many blessings my dear family.
 
Today’s Gospel (John 5:31-47) is a continuation of the “grilling” that Jesus received from the Jews in yesterday’s passage.  Jesus says to them: “If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true.  However, there is another who testifies on my behalf.” 
 
No matter what Jesus said to the Jews, they were not open to his words and his message.  They had made up their minds about Jesus and the Jews were frightened of Jesus’ popularity with the people. 
 
Jesus points out that his listeners have a blind mentality. The miracles he works should make them alert, and recognize that he has been sent by God. But their thinking cannot make such a connection. They lack the light for that.
 
The people are very estranged from God. They haven’t heard his voice, nor have they any sense of his form. His word is not in them. They would be very different, if they had listened to Jesus. To be turned on or to be open to him indicates a brightness of life.
 
The Jews of the time were searching the Scriptures to find eternal life. But they needed to move on, to come to Jesus and to find new life in him. They respected Moses, but they had not his longings.
 
Today might be a good day for us to ask ourselves:  Am I open to Jesus’ message?  It is easier to be open to Jesus’ message when life is good.  If we are happy and at peace, we likely will be pleased with Jesus.  However, when life is difficult or painful, we likely may not be pleased with Jesus.  We may ask Him: “Why is this happening to me?  What have I done to deserve this?” I suspect we may not get an immediate answer from Jesus.
 
However, during these painful or difficult times we need to keep our minds and hearts open to Jesus.  Jesus is not doing this to us.  Rather, Jesus is walking with us, guiding us, and comforting us.  While we may not recognize His presence in the moment, in time we will come to see how Jesus was with us, gracing us and loving us.
 
Also, today may we pray for the grace to trust Jesus in all the circumstances of our lives.  Jesus will not fail us!
 
Blessings,
 
Luis+