Lent V, Tuesday
(John 8)
In a favorite television quiz show fifty years ago called “What’s My Line?” celebrities would try to guess the occupation of a guest contestant. The celebrities would be told only contestant’s name and whether she or he was self-employed or hired. Then they would conduct an investigation by asking questions answered by “yes” or “no.” The game ended when the celebrities identified the work of the contestant or failed trying.
In some ways John’s gospel mimics “What’s My Line?” The Jews try to figure out the full identity of Jesus whom they know as a teacher from Nazareth. They ask questions as we hear today, “Who are you?” They also might guess who Jesus is by the signs that he does like changing the water into wine at Cana. But the Jews are not able to catch on because knowing Jesus’ line is not so much deduced logically from clues as it is comprehended in an act of faith in him. Jesus is the Son of God whose mission is to redeem the world from sin.
Perhaps we have wished that we could have been alive in Jesus’ days. We might have questions that we would like to put to him to clear up some of our doubts. Odds are, however, that all our questions would never be fully answered. Sooner or later, we would have to make the same act of faith in him that the Jews are challenged to make throughout the Gospel of John. Do we believe that this man of virtue, power, and self-sacrifice is the God of heaven and earth? Perhaps it’s more like a leap than a simple act of faith. In any case, the one on the other side ready to receive us when we move gives us eternal life.
