St. Mary's Church Elizabeth, IL

8/17

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 purpose of John's writing cannot be any clearer: "so that you may come 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 perspective 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 knowledge 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 of my past readings of the Gospel of John nourished my life?

Prayer Starter: Lord God, open up my heart to your Word of life and help me grow in my faith in Jesus.

Fr. Joachim

PASSIONIST MISSIONARIES AUGUST 23RD AND 24TH

The Passionist Missionaries goal is to promote the memory of the Passion of Jesus Christ by witnessing and preaching to the sufferings of our time. Through their projects in Kenya, they are able to evangelize and promote integral human development. Their projects involve programs and activities for alleviating poverty and foster social justice and economic empowerment of the communities they serve. They have 36 seminarians, they run two orphanages with 70 orphans, and they support poor widows in their rural missions. They organize and preach retreats for both religious and lay Faithful. Your generous support will help them to continue in their mission affecting a positive change in people's daily lives and the hope for a better tomorrow. Father Evans Fwamba will share their mission story August 23 and 24. Please visit our orphans, widows, Seminarians and Passionists at www.Passionistskenya.org Thank you.