Good News

Gospel According to John 1.10-15 "Very truly I tell you we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?.No one has ascended to heaven except the one who descended from heaven,the Son of Man.And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life." Here we find Jesus referring to a simple fact of our daily life that if you refuse to believe something even in the face of straight evidences and testimony, the task or the activity itself is worthless.Because you choose to be non-believing.The basic trust if we are missing in earthly matters we may also start doubting the heavenly matters.The development of faith in oneself and others , according to psychological theories is a product of our upbringing.A child who is well tre...

Gospel According to St.John 3.8-10 "The wind blows where it chooses and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit".Niccu said to him,"How can these things be?"Jesus answered him " Are you a teacher of Israel , and yet you do not understand these things?". Here we find Jesus reflecting on an age old truth.That is the mind of a pure man, so to say an elevated or enlightened or Nirvanic or blissful or realised mind never gets attached to worldly things.It is always in a state of contemplation and it never runs after the illusory experiences of the world.The pleasures of the world is already understood to be transitory and it never gives ultimate satisfaction to man.The enlightened mind is always mindful of things and it comprehends things but without any inordinate attachment.When Jesus says the wind blows where it chooses he refers to the fact that will is to be exerc...

Gospel According to John 3.3-7. "Jesus answered him ," Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." Nicodemus said to him ." how can anyone be born after having grown old?Can one enter a second time into mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered," Very truly I tell you no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.What is born of the flesh is flesh and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.Do not be astonished that I said to you,' You must be born from above.' Here we find Jesus exhorting Niccu to be refreshed in God and the Son of Man.Refreshed means one has to shed away all the misdeeds from the past all the wrong thinking and emotion.Just a tree sheds its leaves that have grown old and which cause problem to the trunk, we too must get over our old leanings and unhealthy practices.We have two options, one is that we can continue to live in the old bad way and the seco...

Gospel According to St.John 3.1-2. Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.He came to see Jesus by night and said to him."Rabbi we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." Here we find a man full of wisdom and wealth of the world coming to Jesus who was a prophet, Messiah,a charismatic personality and with many other mysterious aspects, according to Jews.Nicodemus however was a dissatisfied person.His knowledge or wealth could not make him happy.He was in search of the Ultimate Truth.He was afraid to meet Jesus in public because of his stature and level in the society.Still he had understood the mystery behind Jesus and so he came to meet him.Th point is that he wanted to learn from a Master who could provide the answer to his problems of dissatisfaction and misery.His learnings did not yield any fruits.Jesus was emerging as a star in those times by performing miracles ...

Gospel According to John 1.13-25. "The passover of the Jews was near and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves and the money changers seated at their tables.Making a whip of cords,he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle.He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.He told those who were selling the doves," take these things out of here!Stop making my Father's house a market place!"His disciples remembered that it was written, Zeal for your house will consume me".The Jews said to him,"What sign can you show us for doing these things?'Jesus answered them" Destroy these temple and in three days I will raise it up "The Jews then said,"This temple has been under construction for forty-six years and will you raise it up in three years?"But he was speaking of the temple of his body.After he was raised from the dead, his discipl...

Gospel According to John 2.1-12. On the third day thre was a wedding in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there.Jesus and the disciples were also invited to the wedding.When the wine gave out , the mother of Jesus said to him,"They have no wine"And Jesus said to her " Woman what concern is that to youand to me?My hour has not yet come".His mother said to the servants."Do whatever he tells you".Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification.Jesus told them "Fill the jars with water".And they filled them up to the brim.He said to them"Now draw some out and take it to the chief steward."So they took it.When the steward tasted the water that had become wine and did not know where it came from, the steward called the bridegroom and said to him," Everyone serves the good wine first and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk.But you have kept the good wine until now....

Gospel According to John 1.43-51 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee.He found Philip and said to him "Follow me"..... When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said to him,"Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!"Nathaniel asked him."Where did you get to know me?"Jesus answered,"I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathaniel replied,"Rabbi, you are the Son of God!You are the King of Israel!"Jesus answered,"Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree ?You will see greater things than these."And he said to them,Very truly,I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man". Here we find Jesus extending unconditional invitation to join with him as members of his Kingdom. The deserving men are identified by their honesty and simple character.The simple instances of life are used by Jesus in divine ways to i...

Gospel According to John 1.35-42 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples and as he watched Jesus walk by , he exclaimed." Look here is the lamb of God!"The two disciples heard this and they followed Jesus.When Jesus turned and saw them following , he said to them" What are you looking for?"They said to him"Rabbi where are you staying?'He said to them "come and See'.They came and saw where he was staying and they remained with him that day...... Andrew found his brother Simon and said to him" we have found the Messiah" He brought Simon to Jesus who looked at him and said "You are Simon son of John .You are to be called Peter". Here we find Jesus calling and forming his disciples.The important point is that they are all simple men who have no evil in mind.They are hard working people not knowledgeable in the eyes of the world.It is the greatest gift that a human being can get in this life, that God direc...

Gospel According to John 1.29-34 The Lamb of God "The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared,"Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!This is he of whom I said,'After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me .'I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel."And John testified ," I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and it remained on him .I myself did not know him but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit'.And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God." Here we find John the Baptist testifying Jesus as the True Son of God.Jesus was incomparable in this world and he was without a second.John baptized with water an earthly symbol that led people to God in an act of cleansing.Jesus ba...

1.19-28."This is the testimony given by John......What do you say about yourself?", He said," I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,Make straight the way of the Lord,"......I baptize with water.Among you stands one whom you do not know , the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal."This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was Baptizing. Here we find John acknowledging the fact that he is not being heard by the people.In fact he was a strong and the greatest prophet God sent to the world to make the people realise that God dwells with us in our very innermost being , intimate with us.But his voice, the Voice representing God was unheard , it was heard in the wilderness, practically no one listened to him.He sensitised people to the coming of the Lord, made them realise that God is visiting his own people.He was making the way for Jesus Christ , the Word Incarnate, the Saviour of the people who were...

Gospel According to John,1.14-18 "And the word became flesh and lived among us and we have seen his glory , the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.No one has ever seen God.It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father's Heart who has made him known." Here we find the answer to those ask about the existence of God.No one has ever seen God.And God is never visible to human eye.Because we are human beings.Jesus Christ the Only Son of God revealed the existence of Father, The Most Loving Father on earth and Heaven.Jesus was always with the father and he was so close to him that he knew his will.The existence of God can be proved by logical argument.More than that the existence of God is known through our heart,our state of mind.It is intuitively known, experientially known.Those who deny this faculty will neve...

Gospel According to St.John 1.10-13. "He was in the world and the world came into being through him yet the world did not know him.He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.But to all who received him, who believed in his name he gave power to become children of GOD , Who were born, not of blood or of the will of flesh or of the will of man , but of God." Here we find two categories of people, one category does not believe God and another category of people does accept him and they become the children of God.Children of God are not of this world, they are not guided by the material desires and the search for luxury.They are all moved by the will of God and that is to know God and be united with him.However in this world we cannot have perfect union with God, so suffering is part of life.God remains with us and he dwells in us putting us in peace and tranquility.

Gospel According to John 1.6-9 "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.He himself was not the light but he came to testify to the light.The true light which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world." St.John owns up the responsibility of showing to the world the true Light, that is JESUS CHRIST. Upon receiving Jesus and agreeing to follow his teachings in direct and indirect ways,a man becomes the part of this True Light.No darkness in the form of sin can ruin him.And those who agree to follow him will never waste his life in this world. No specific christening is required to follow Jesus. Any one willing to respect and abide by his teachings can be part of This Eternal Truth.

The Gospel According to John 1,1-5. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.He was in the beginning with God.All things came into being through him and without him not one thing came into being.What has come into being in him was life and the life was the light of all people.The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it."This is the Word of the Lord. Here we find St.John explaining the background to the Incarnation of Jesus.The Son of God always existed in the World and the world was never without Him and He was always in the world.The world was created through him and in him.The life that he brought was also followed by Evil.The darkness also rules the world but the Evil can never overtake the Light.God created his people for him and for his Glory.