Word to the Wise
Friday, April 12, 2019 - 5th Week of Lent - Fri
[Jer 20:10-13 and John 10:31-42]The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, "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]
Jesus' adversaries would gladly concede that a true prophet could works signs and wonders but these would not make the prophet divine. Yet, the entire purpose of the "signs" in the Gospel According to John is to demonstrate that Jesus IS the one whom the Father has sent and he is in complete communion with the Father. [Subsequent reflection by the Church about the Holy Trinity should not be read back into the text.] The "works" that Jesus performed would be the "works" of the Father. The audience understands the implication quite well but rejects it. They consider the implication to be blasphemy. This would be one of the motivations for those who plotted against him.
Another motivation concerned Jesus' success. The last line of today's gospel scripture hints at it: "And many there began to believe in him." This will be seen even more clearly in the next chapter when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. This sign will harden the plotters to find a way to get rid of Jesus. The first scripture today from Jeremiah when he reflects on the opposition to his ministry was seen by the early Christian community as a foretelling of what happened to Jesus.
How do we feel about this? Is it only something that happened a long time ago to Jesus? Are we responsible in any way? Are we afraid that expressing our own belief will get us in trouble with those who reject it? Much of the Gospel According to John concerns the reaction of people to Jesus' words and works. Our reaction is what will take us into Holy Week. Will we be participants or indifferent or hostile? What? AMEN