Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
(Jeremiah 20:10-13; John 10:31-42)
In the gospel of John, there is no trial of Jesus before the
Jewish Sanhedrin. As a placeholder in
the four-part schema of the Passion, John has an interrogation by the High
Priest Annas. Actually, the fourth
gospel describes Jesus being tried by the Jews throughout his ministry. Today’s gospel provides an instance.
As in the Jewish trial in the other gospels, the Jews ask
Jesus if he is the Messiah. Jesus has
called himself the “Son of God,” which the Jews hear as blasphemous. They are ready to execute him by stoning –
the penalty for blasphemy in their Law. Because
the “hour” for his supreme sacrifice has not yet come, Jesus escapes their
attempt on his life.
As the teacher is tried so will his disciples be. We can expect to be tried as followers of
Jesus. People will observe whether we
practice what we profess. Are we always
chaste in our words and actions? We
should be as true believers in Jesus.
