Friends, today’s Gospel gives us the famous assurance that God gave his Son that we might have eternal life.

There is a terrible interpretation of the cross that holds the view that the bloody sacrifice of the Son on the cross was “satisfying” to the Father, an appeasement of a God infinitely angry at sinful humanity. In this reading, the crucified Jesus is like a child hurled into the fiery mouth of a pagan divinity in order to assuage its wrath.

What eloquently gives the lie to this awful interpretation is today’s passage, which is often proposed as a summary of the Christian message. God the Father is not some pathetic divinity whose bruised honor needs to be restored; rather, God is a parent who burns with compassion for his children who have wandered into danger. It is not out of anger or vengeance that the Father sends the Son but precisely out of love. 

Does the Father hate sinners? No, but he hates sin. Does God harbor indignation at the unjust? No, but God despises injustice. Thus God sends his Son not gleefully to see him suffer but to set things right.

Gospel Reflections

Daily Gospel Reflections from Bishop Barron

9th week of Ordinary Time

Sunday

June 4

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Trinity Sunday

8th week of Ordinary Time

Saturday

June 3

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Friday

June 2

Read

Thursday

June 1

Read

Wednesday

May 31

Read

Visitation of the Virgin Mary

Tuesday

May 30

Read

Monday

May 29

Read

Sunday

May 28

Read

Pentecost

7th week of Easter

Saturday

May 27

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Friday

May 26

Read

Thursday

May 25

Read

Wednesday

May 24

Read

Tuesday

May 23

Read

Monday

May 22

Read

Sunday

May 21

Read

6th week of Easter

Saturday

May 20

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Friday

May 19

Read

Thursday

May 18

Read

Ascension

Wednesday

May 17

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Tuesday

May 16

Read

Monday

May 15

Read

Sunday

May 14

Read

5th week of Easter

Saturday

May 13

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Friday

May 12

Read

Thursday

May 11

Read

Wednesday

May 10

Read

Tuesday

May 9

Read

4th week of Easter

Saturday

May 6

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Thursday

May 4

Read

Wednesday

May 3

Read

Tuesday

May 2

Read

Sunday

April 30

Read

3rd week of Easter

Saturday

April 29

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Friday

April 28

Read

Thursday

April 27

Read

Wednesday

April 26

Read

Tuesday

April 25

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Monday

April 24

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Sunday

April 23

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2nd week of Easter

Saturday

April 22

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Friday

April 21

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Thursday

April 20

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Wednesday

April 19

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Tuesday

April 18

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