John the evangelist's major concern is to proclaim Jesus' true identity - Jesus is one in being with God; he is the Son sent by the Father. We have to ask: what does that have to do with me? Like Jesus himself and his listeners in today's gospel reading, we are mindful of who we are, where we come from, and who our ancestors are.

Jesus comes to call us to live out our identity and vocation of being children of God. Children of God live in the truth, because they listen to the words that Jesus says and believe in him. Children of the Father enjoy freedom because they are close to the Father, living in the Father's house, being known fully and lovingly by the Father. They love one another as children of the same Father. They are free from sins which rupture relationships.

Through Jesus and in Jesus, the one sent by God, we receive the status of being God's children. That we can live in the truth and enjoy the freedom of God's children has everything to do with Jesus.