I have two older sisters and we are all three just a year apart in age. Growing up my sisters took great pleasure (as most siblings do) in tormenting me at every available opportunity.  I vividly remember when they told me there was no Santa Claus. Upon hearing this from them I immediately reverted to the three D’s - denial, dismissal, and deflection. The three D’s sounded something like this in my head:

Denial - no way could there not be a Santa, I had received too many gifts from him over the years, not to mention the cookies and milk he drank that we set out each Christmas Eve

Dismissal - my sisters were just messing with me as they often did, just like when they told me I was adopted and really belonged to a family in England

Deflection - I am not going to think about this, it just doesn’t make any sense, this will blow over, it is just too confusing

In today’s gospel the Jews were going through the same emotions that I did when I first heard that there was no Santa Claus.  It is easy to be judgmental of the Jews, but they reacted as many of us do when our long held beliefs are put into question. Their three D’s might have sounded something like this:

Denial - everyone dies that has been proven time and time again, how can Jesus say that whoever keeps his word will never die

Dismissal - Jesus is crazy, he said he met Abraham, that just isn’t logical, Abraham died long before this character came on the scene

Deflection - this needs to go away because it is so confusing, so let’s get Jesus out of the way by throwing stones

The dialogue between  Jesus and the Jews in today’s gospel calls us to move from three D thinking and replace it with three A’s. Rather than denial, we are being called to accept. Embracing God’s unending love for us can be difficult, especially when the voice in our head tells us we are unworthy, but it is always there for us. Our job is to accept and even surrender to the fact that no matter what God's love will prevail.

We need to allow rather than dismiss. Allowing has us opening up our hearts and minds to Jesus presence in our life. Rather than writing off what we don’t understand we need to concede to the mysteries of our faith and find God’s hand in our daily life.

And finally, rather than deflect when we encounter things that don’t make sense we have to assist. Rather than averting our attention from God’s message assisting asks us to stay. Assisting may look like prayer or listening or simply showing up to help a friend in need. Assisting is finding God in all things even when it isn’t always clear.

Today, let us pray for acceptance, allowance, and assistance in our faith life. Help us to be open to God’s love so that we may enjoy the many gifts we have been given.