i for i am
"When it takes place you may believe that I AM." —John 13:19
Jesus is God. We, His disciples, should take and make every opportunity to proclaim Jesus' divinity. Always, and especially during this Easter season, we should declare that Jesus is the Son of God, that is, God, "in power according to the spirit of holiness, by His resurrection from the dead" (Rm 1:4).
Jesus Himself made an opportunity to proclaim His divinity by foretelling His betrayal by Judas. Jesus told His disciples: "I tell you this now, before it takes place, so that when it takes place you may believe that I AM" (Jn 13:19). Likewise, we can convert those times we have been betrayed or rejected into opportunities to proclaim Jesus as the great I AM. We can do this especially by receiving the divine power to forgive. The old saying is true: "To err is human; to forgive is divine." When we truly forgive those Judases in our lives, when we embrace, kiss, gift, and honor the prodigal sons and daughters in our lives (Lk 15:20ff), others will either say we are crazy or acknowledge Jesus as God. They know that to truly forgive enemies is not normal for human beings. So either we are crazy, or this Jesus, Whom we are following, is God, Who alone has the power to forgive.
Whatever takes place, try to use the events of your life to proclaim that Jesus is the I AM.
Prayer: Father, in the next month may many knees bow for the first time at the name of Jesus, the Lord God (see Phil 2:10-11).
Promise: "John heralded the coming of Jesus by proclaiming a baptism of repentance." —Acts 13:24
Praise: St. Anselm led the Council of Rockingham to side with the Pope rather than the king.
Reference: (For a related teaching on Accepting Jesus as Lord, Savior, and God order, view, or download our leaflet or order, listen to, or download our CD 43-1 or DVD 43-CH.2 at presentationministries.com or order our tape on audio AV 43-1 or video V-43.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, November 6, 2015
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