Life Abounding

Book excerpt: The fourth gospel addresses the thirst for life that lies at the depth of every human heart. The life in question is not just physical life but the “more abundant life‘” (John 10:10) that is nothing less than a share in the “eternal life” of the divine communion of love. In Life Abounding, Brendan Byrne, SJ, facilitates a reading of John for readers today so that it may move them from mere existence to a conscious sense of sharing the divine eternal life—and the joy that goes with it.The reading of the Fourth Gospel offered here remains conscious of the difficulties John presents on several fronts for contemporary readers. Byrne explains the text in a way that is critical yet sensitive to the gospel’s distinctive character and the untapped treasures it may yet contain for theology and spirituality today. This volume represents the completion of Byrne’s highly successful series of books on the four gospels, which have proven to be rich resources for preachers, teachers, and all who desire a more profound understanding of the life of Jesus as it is presented in the gospels.