April 11, 2024, Thursday St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr Read: Acts 5: 27-33 Jn 3: 31-36
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him” (Jn 3:36).
Jesus comes to us from the heights of all eternity, the Heavenly Kingdom, the Seat of Divine unlimited Love, sent to us by His Eternal Father.
The Lord gives us the option of living our lives in isolated, worldly interests or in the fullness of all that is God: “The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of earthly things” (Jn 3:31). And even in light of His all-knowing Wisdom, He allows each of us the freedom to ignore Him completely.
“The one who comes from heaven is above all and He testifies to what he has seen and… The Father loves the Son and has given everything over to him” (Jn 3:31-35).
Our salvation depends on our choosing that promise.
We are a “hard sell” when it comes to these eternal things. Our problem is that we prefer to enjoy today, the “now,” without limits, those immediate goods that God has placed within our reach. But this is not the path to God.
“The concern of the flesh is death, but the concern of the spirit is life and peace. For the concern of the flesh is hostility toward God; it does not submit to the law of God, nor can it” (Rm 8:5-7).
Reflection and commentary
Psalm 39:12 “You chastise man with rebukes for sin; like a moth you consume his treasures. Every man is but a breath.” St. Stanislaus, d. 1079; as bishop of Cracow he assisted the poor; personally slain by the oppressive and savage king, Boleslaus II; patron of Poland.
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