Wednesday of the
Fourth Week of Lent
(Isaiah 49:8-15; John
5:17-30)
A lawyer and his
ten-year-old son regularly attended Sunday Mass together. The two were noticeable especially when they
stood for the gospel. Both looked
intently at the missalette in his hand as they followed the reading of the
deacon. The boy was imitating his
father. In today’s gospel Jesus defends
his healing on the Sabbath as likewise doing what his Father does.
As if he were on trial,
Jesus is answering the accusations of the Jews.
He says that he does what and when he does because he is learning from
his Father. Since his Father heals, he
heals. Since his Father does so on the Sabbath,
so does he. In a sense, Jesus is on
trial. In the Gospel of John, unlike the
other gospels, there is no judicial process before the Sanhedrin on the night
before Jesus’ crucifixion. John chooses instead to have “the “Jews” force Jesus
to defend himself at various points in his Gospel. He is accused of crimes like working on the
Sabbath and planning to tear down the Temple.
Despite the coherence of Jesus’ defense, the Jews will press Pilate to
execute him.
Jesus came among us to
fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah in today’s first reading. He is the favored Son of God sent to heal the
wounds of the world. The very Jews, who
accuse him in the gospel, are the first beneficiaries of his coming. But the rest of the world follows in far
greater numbers. We will bear witness to
Jesus’ healing in the coming weeks.
