Jesus Liberates!

Out of all the Gospels St. John colors a unique picture of Jesus.

This is a Jesus that liberates!

At the wedding of Cana Jesus doesn’t just turn a few stone water pots into wine – Jesus turns six into wine – so we may know the abundance God gives.

Jesus at the well offers living water – so we may never thirst again.

Jesus was sent by God as bread from heaven – so we may never hunger.

Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead – so may know God is not limited by our mortality.

Jesus is the light of the world – so we may never walk in darkness.

All of these are unique to the Gospel of John.

Truth! Freedom!

The harsh reality is that we are slaves to sin. And what is Jesus response?

John 8: 31-36 “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free... So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed!”

As John colors a unique picture of a Jesus who liberates… I can’t help but go back to the days I used to color.

I think of a little child with their crayons and coloring book. They are given a variety of colors and are taught to color in the lines.

A little child maybe given tons of colors, but they pick one. The coloring book may have a picture on it, but they see the whole page not the lines. They put gusto into their coloring and it goes all over the page. Then the child walks up to you and say’s, "Here is my picture!" With the biggest brightest eyes, "I colored this just for you."

How do you respond? I mean you could look at the child and say, "Ummm… didn’t you notice that there are lines to help you color this horse. And didn’t you realize that you have more than just red… there is brown (which is actually the color of the horse) and blue for the sky, green for the grass…"

NO! We don’t say that because we don’t look at the details of the picture we look at the love put into the picture.

We take the picture out of their hands with a huge smile and meaningfully say, "That is beautiful!"

We are coloring a picture for God with our lives. This picture we draw is often outside of the lines. We are good at making a mess. We might have used to much red. We didn’t even realize it was a horse that we were supposed to draw. But with big bright eyes we open our hands to God and say here I am. Here is my life and I drew this for you.

And God says, "That is beautiful!" As God gives us the ultimate grace.

Sure God will occationally show us a new color of life that we may have not noticed or used before, but we pick up the new crayon and try again.

You are loved. You are God’s. And the picture you’re drawing daily maybe imperfect, but you have been made free!

Free from sin, through the divine activity centered in Christ’s death and brought into right relationship with God!