Wednesday, March 30, 2022

 Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Lent

(Isaiah 49:8-15; John 5:17-30)

The law prohibiting work on the sabbath is derived from the Third Commandment.  Rabbis, however, were aware that God needs to work on the sabbath to prevent the world from falling apart.  Jesus uses this awareness to defend his curing the paralytic on a sabbath.  He tells the Jews that as God’s Son, he too can work on the sabbath.  He only does what he sees the Father doing – giving life.  Of course, the Jews hear Jesus as blaspheming.  How can a man – they think – make himself out to be God?

In Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin in Matthew, Mark, and Luke he is condemned for equating himself with God.  John does not have a Jewish trial, but he repeatedly has scenes like this one.  On some of these occasions the Jews try to kill him. In this way John verifies what happens at the Jewish trial.

As Jesus invites belief in him from the Jews, so he wants our belief. We ask ourselves, is he the Son of God, equal to the Father?  Or is he an imposter or, perhaps, a lunatic?  Many people have difficulty accepting Jesus as God.  Some of these consider the ethic that he preached too restrictive.  Hopefully, we will accept Jesus because the ethic is life-giving not detracting. It brings not only fulfilment on earth but also happiness in heaven.

Friday, March 26, 2021

 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. 

Thursday, March 26, 2020

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent

(Exodus 32:7-14; John 5:31-47)

In John’s gospel after Jesus is arrested, he is not taken before the Sanhedrin for a trial.  There is a brief questioning by a former high priest, but no witnesses are called.  There is no “Jewish trial” in John’s gospel.  Instead there are a series of interrogations of Jesus and testimonies for and against him throughout the work.  In today’s gospel passage Jesus presents evidence in his defense. 

Jesus first cites John the Baptist.  He says that John testified to the truth that is incarnate in Jesus.  Then Jesus brings up the mighty works of healing that he has done.  He also says the Father has given testimony on his behalf.  John does not have the Father speaking of Jesus from a cloud.  He may have in mind God’s mercy demonstrated in today’s first reading.  Jesus everywhere exhibits God’s mercy that refuses to destroy a rebellious people.  Finally, Scripture testifies to Jesus by prophesying of the coming Messiah.

The Jews will not accept Jesus’ witnesses.  But we do.  No one has ever spoken or lived quite like Jesus.  He not only lived an implicitly pure life, but he also died testifying to the Father’s love for the world.  As his disciples will say later in the gospel, we have nowhere to turn but to Jesus.