Word to the Wise
Wednesday, April 1, 2009 - Wednesday in the Fifth Week of Lent
[Daniel 3:14-20, 91-92, 95 and John 8:31-42]If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
One of the dramatic instruments most frequently used in the Gospel of John is that of misunderstanding. Jesus will say something and the listener will misunderstand it, so Jesus will continue the dialogue and ultimately the meaning of the encounter and the teaching become clearer. In the incident today, the misunderstanding is over the word "free." For the antagonists in this dialogue, the issue has to do with physical slavery in a historical context. For Jesus, the freedom comes from knowing him and "living in his word." This word carries implications for conduct. Jesus challenges his opponents about their behavior simply based on their claims to be children of Abraham. Of course, they will be shocked to hear his claim to have been before Abraham! The line quoted above is one of the surest reminders of the power of denial! If we choose not to accept the truth because the truth would be unacceptable to us, then we must pay the consequences. The dialogue in this chapter of the Gospel of John shows the gathering storm of violence that will come from a fundamental denial. All of us can learn from this story! AMEN