John 3:13-17 - Jesus and Nicodemus (September 14, 2014, Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross)

Gospel:

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.

And 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 he 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.”

Gospel Trivia:

This is the first time in John's gospel that the words "eternal life" is used; it is important to know what John meant by it.  It means BOTH a "life without end" at the end time, AND also to a life with a special quality at the present time.  This special quality refers to a life that is love-centered, forgiveness-oriented and peace-filled.  It is a life based on faith in Jesus and governed by the principles of Jesus' life and teachings.

Nicodemus appears only in the gospel of John.  He is a Pharisee who favors Jesus, and it is ironic that Jesus chooses a Pharisee who is not talked about kindly by the other gospel writers.  To Nicodemus, Jesus states what may be considered as the summary of the gospel of John, if not of the whole Christianity:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that he who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." (John 3:16).

The "world" refers to all that there is, especially humanity, God's crowning glory of creation.  Thus, John 3:16 can be paraphrased to mean: God loves humanity so much, God gives everything that God has.  The emphasis remains on God's initiative -- that God loved us first.

The "lifting up of the Son of Man" mentioned in the gospel passage refers to the "continuous" upward motion of the cross being lifted up (Jesus' death), his Resurrection, and Ascension.  The love of God involves the giving of everything (Jesus himself) which overcomes death, and reunites us with the Father.

This is why today's feast is called the "Exaltation of the Cross."

Reference:

- Nil Guillemette, SJ, Hungry No More (Manila: St. Paul's Publications, 1989), pp. 51-56.