Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent

What Makes You Believe?

Jesus says something today that is not easy to hear: “You will die in your sins… unless you believe that I AM.” Those are strong words. They’re not softened or made more comfortable. And the people listening to Him don’t understand Him. In fact, they misunderstand Him so much that they begin to wonder if He’s talking about harming Himself. And yet, the Gospel ends by saying, “Because He spoke this way, many came to believe in Him.” Not despite what He said—but because of it.

That raises an important question: what is it that makes someone believe? Is it comfort? Is it hearing only what we want to hear? Is it everything making sense right away? In this Gospel, belief comes when people encounter something deeper—something true—even if they don’t fully understand it yet.

Jesus speaks about who He is: “I AM.” That’s not just a phrase—that’s the name of God. He is telling them that He is not just a teacher, but that He is from above, from the Father. And some people hear that, and something in them responds. Not because they have everything figured out, but because they recognize something real.

So maybe that’s the question for us: what is it that makes you believe? Was it something you learned? Someone who lived the faith in a way that was real? A moment when you knew God was present? Or even a time when life didn’t make sense—but you held on anyway?

Belief isn’t just about understanding everything. It’s about recognizing the voice of God when we hear it—even when it challenges us, even when it’s not easy, even when it calls us to change. That’s when faith becomes real.

Jesus also says, “I always do what is pleasing to the Father.” That’s the heart of His life. And it becomes a quiet invitation for us—not just to say we believe, but to begin living that same way. To ask, in the ordinary moments of today: am I choosing what is pleasing to God?

Because in the end, belief isn’t just something we think. It’s something we live.

Faith begins when we recognize His voice—but it grows when we choose to follow it.