Word to the Wise
Tuesday, April 19, 2016 - 4th Week of Easter - Tues
[Acts 11:19-26 and John 10:22-30]"How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told ou and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify to me. But you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice...." [John]
Jesus' questioners in this scene (part of which was Sunday's gospel scripture) remind me of media reporters in a political campaign. "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? Are you going to run for _________, or not?" No response will be acceptable because the media will simply say the figure is being "coy" and holding his or her cards close to the chest. Jesus replies to the question that if his audience had been paying attention and believing in him they would have heard the answer long ago. The strange thing is that when Jesus makes a statement that is a "Yes" by saying, "The Father and I are one," his questioners accuse him of blasphemy!
Believers are those who hear the shepherd's call and follow him. The questioners are like the other sheep in the corral who cannot respond or would be afraid to (like Nicodemus). If we read the whole Gospel of John, the drama of seeing and hearing and believing takes shape in a wonderful way. The characters - Samaritan woman, Nicodemus, the Crippled Beggar, the man born blind, Lazarus, Mary of Bethany, Mary Magdalen, Peter, even Pilate - are vivid and challenging. They (except for Pilate) hear the voice. They see with the eyes of faith even if it takes time to do this.
In what way do we "see" and "hear" and believe? AMEN
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