Word to the Wise
Friday, March 18, 2016 - 5th Week of Lent - Fri
[Jer 20:10-13 and John 10:31-42]"I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?" The Jews answered him, "We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God." [John]
It is important to remember that we are in the fifth week of Lent. This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday. The gospel scriptures this past week have been taken from the Gospel of John and feature confrontations between Jesus and "the Jews" over his identity. This has the effect of building dramatic tension which will come to a climax beginning with Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem. Jesus' "signs" [the Gospel of John uses a different word than the other three] contribute to this growing tension, especially the healing of the man born blind [Chap. 9] and the raising of Lazarus from the dead [Chap. 11].
Today's gospel scripture features a confrontation that takes place at a Jewish festival and follows Jesus' teaching about the Good Shepherd. Jesus confronts his adversaries with their unbelief because "you are not among my sheep." The sheep have been given to him by his Father and no one can take them away. Then he says, "The Father and I are one." This sounds like blasphemy to his adversaries and once more they pick up rocks. At the same time, we are told that many were coming to believe in him, which creates tension with the religious authorities. All of this will come together in Holy Week.
The experience of Holy Week is not simply some kind of dramatic re-enactment of something that happened 2,000 years ago or more. The confrontations over Jesus' identity are not old arguments. We are asked to know where we stand in regard to Jesus and his teaching. Are we among his flock who hear his voice? What is the state of our own faith? Is Jesus the one whom God has sent? Holy Week will give us a new chance to say so. AMEN
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