St. Mary's Church Elizabeth, IL

7/5

READ JOHN, CHAPTER 20, VERSES 30 AND 31

"These signs are written so that you may come to believe..."

                                                                                          John 20:30

Why a Gospel?  Why this Gospel?

Why did Mark, in the first place, decide to write a small book with the word euaggelion (Good News) as a lead?  And why did Matthew and Luke follow up their own expanded versions?

Strangely enough, we find the most complete answer to these questions in the ...Fourth Gospel?  Although last to have been written, the Gospel of John is the  most explicit about the why and the how of writing-and accordingly of reading-a Gospel.

The goal and prupose of John's writing cannot be any clearer:  "so that you may come to to believe."  Such is the main purpose and concern of John as he sets out to write the gospel.  His writing expresses the point of view of someone who believes 'that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,"  and who wants to share his faith in Jesus.  It was written out of faith and in view of faith.  To understand the genuine perpective of what a Gospel claims to be, one definitely has to receive it as written by someone who believed in Jesus and wanted others to believe as well.

Faith is not the end of the process, though.  For John adds:"...and that through believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31).  The ultimate goal is life.  Reading the Gospel of John-or any Gospel- is not meant, in the first place, to increase historical or doctrinal knowlege about Jesus, but to generate, increase, and nourish life.  As we open up this Gospel, we need to ask ourselves how our lives will change through reading it.

     How many my past readings of the Gospel of John nourished my life?

Prayer Starter:

Lord God, oepn up my heart to your Word of life and help me grow in my faith in Jesus.

Fr. Joachim