Small people and the big picture

Today’s Gospel (John 5:17-30) begins with the murderous plotting of small men.

Our Lord’s response is an amazing glimpse at the biggest of big pictures, as speaks powerfully and beautifully of his relationship with God the Father and of the glorious resurrection and the inescapable judgment that he will bring at the end of time.

As we begin this day and continue through this week, busy with so many details and so many concerns, we would do well to take a quiet moment to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and let him speak to our heart: speak to our heart of the Reality that infinitely extends beyond the smallness in which we often wallow.

Amen, amen, I say to you,
the Son cannot do anything on his own,
but only what he sees the Father doing;
for what he does, the Son will do also.

For the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything that he himself does,
and he will show him greater works than these,
so that you may be amazed.

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life,
so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes.

Nor does the Father judge anyone,
but he has given all judgment to the Son,
so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father.

Whoever does not honor the Son
does not honor the Father who sent him.

Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever hears my word
and believes in the one who sent me
has eternal life and will not come to condemnation,
but has passed from death to life.

Amen, amen, I say to you,
the hour is coming and is now here
when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and those who hear will live.

For just as the Father has life in himself,
so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself.

And he gave him power to exercise judgment,
because he is the Son of Man.

Do not be amazed at this,
because the hour is coming
in which all who are in the tombs
will hear his voice and will come out,
those who have done good deeds
to the resurrection of life,
but those who have done wicked deeds
to the resurrection of condemnation.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, be merciful to me – a sinner.