September 14, 2025: The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Gospel: John 3:13-17

Jesus said to Nicodemus: “No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Reflection

What does it mean to believe in Jesus? This gospel tells us that Jesus came so the world may be healed, not to judge it. However, a popular way to be a follower of Jesus today seems to include a lot of condemning and forgetting that we are all kin.

When I was younger, believing in Jesus was more of a head-believing. I was told all I had to do was agree that Jesus died for my sins, follow church teachings, and then live a “holy” live. It was more about subscribing to the “right” beliefs.

As I began my studies in youth ministry in college, my understanding and relationship with Jesus started to shift. I began wondering, “What message did Jesus send his disciples to spread?” “What is the good news?”

As I read the Gospels within their cultural and historical context, a greater vision emerged. The Kin-dom of God that Jesus proclaimed is a communal life, lived in love, compassion, forgiveness and understanding. It is a way of living together where all who have what they need are in relationship with and give to those who are hungry, thirsty, imprisoned, sick, homeless, etc. No one is left out, as long as you are willing to show up. This is a vision I can get behind (and to which I have committed my life).

Believing in Jesus, for me, means seeing the truth in his message. I am a child of a loving God and so is every other being, human and more-than-human. I have a divine spark within me. I have the capacity to hurt others, yes, and I can be generous and loving. This is a belief centered in my heart, a connection I fell and experience. Believing in Jesus has led me to recognize my own goodness and connections with the Divine. It also looks like following Jesus’ example, becoming Christ-like, and choosing a life of service to the wholeness and well-being of all creation.

Action

Questions for your consideration. What does it feel like to know I am unconditionally loved? If I truly felt in my heart that we are all kin, how might I treat others? What stories, likes or fears are getting in the way of my feeling connected to God and all my siblings on Earth?