The Father has life in himself. The Son has life in himself. We do not. The life in question is the divine life, eternal life. We have it only oncondition the Lord Jesus give it to us. We have it as we are born again, born into divine life by water and the Spirit. Again, Christ is the Bread of life, and we receive the divine life when we receive communion. The sacraments make us living branches of the vine that Christ calls himself later in the Gospel. We have this life also by faith, wich is what today's Gospel says: those who hear Christ's word and believe it have life. Faith does this of its very nature, for it is sharing in the knowledge of God, and God's knowing and loving - thta just is his life. That's why John's Gospel, at the beginning, says that Christ, who is life, is also the light of men. He is life by being light - making us to know God and the things of God. This life is far better, greater, more precious than our natural life. That is why Christians subordinate everything else in their lives to staying in the truth of the Gospel.
Reflection based on John 5:17-30
Father Guy Mansini, OSB
O God, open the eyes of our mind to the light of faith so that
we may hear the voice of your Son and, on the last day,
rise with him to everlasting life.
Today's suggested penance: Do something kind for someone you love.