TODAY’S READINGS

The first reading is from 1 Jn 2:22-28. We’ve heard quite a lot from John’s first letter in recent days. Today we get a powerful excerpt regarding Jesus’ messiahship and divinity.  I focus here on the first two verses, because they pack such a wallop.

Who is the liar?
Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.
Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist.
Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father,
but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well. (vv. 22-23)

“It is evident that John is concerned here for the basic confession of faith regarding the true identity of Jesus Christ.

“But what exactly were these ‘antichrists’ denying? This is not entirely clear, but as we piece together the evidence from the letter, it appears that they were denying that the Son of God (who was ‘in the beginning’ with the Father) actually took flesh and became a human being in the incarnation. They were denying that Jesus truly was the ‘Christ’ — that is, the Messiah or anointed one — who came from the Father for our salvation. ’The Lie par excellence is that which refuses to see the Godhead shine in the human life and death of Jesus’ (F. F. Bruce, The Epistles of John: Introduction, Exposition, and Notes [London: Pickering & Inglis, 1970], 73). For John, this is the core activity of the antichrist: to deny the true incarnation of the Son of God sent from the Father…

“If we deny the truth about the Son, then we lose the Father as well; if we confess and believe in the Son as the faith teaches, then we gain the Father as well. ’Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him’ (John 5:23).” (James, First, Second, and Third John [Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture] , 171, 172)

We know well the devil is a liar, even from the very beginning (see Jn 8:44 and, of course, Gn 3). Who else ultimately inspires a denial of the divinity of Christ and His redemptive mission? 

Now John was likely calling out pseudo-Christians, who, for whatever reason, denied or altered basic doctrine regarding the nature of Christ. They exchanged the truth for a lie, whether wittingly or unwittingly, to deceive or when expressing real (albeit misguided) conviction. Regardless, it is terribly damaging in its potential to lead persons astray.

Consider throughout the ages those who deny Christ is who He says He is. Consider also that this denial gives them no access to the Father of Jesus — no access to God at all! Jesus says to Thomas (and us) during the Last Supper discourse:

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (Jn 14:6-7)

Those who follow some other (or no other) religion are perpetuating a lie. Some unknowingly perhaps. Others, in many cases, with strong conviction of their own beliefs. Does God actively will religions outside His Church? Obviously not! Scripture says,

God our savior…
wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and the human race,
Christ Jesus, himself human,
who gave himself as ransom for all. (1 Tm 2:3-6)

While we are to respect others in their religious choices, if they are following a lesser conception of God than is true, we should love them enough not to leave them there. Jesus’ call to evangelization is absolute (see Mt 28:19). This should not be difficult. If we have good news in our personal affairs we can’t wait to let others know. When we have the Good News (“Gospel”) in our hearts, we shouldn’t be able to hesitate to let others know through word and deed. Lord grant us to be like Jeremiah:

I say I will not mention him,
I will no longer speak in his name.
But then it is as if fire is burning in my heart,
imprisoned in my bones;
I grow weary holding back,
I cannot! (Jer 20:9)

God bless.