4th Week of Lent
1st Reading: Wis 2:1a, 12-22
The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: “Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, Reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the Lord. To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, Because his life is not like that of others, and different are his ways. He judges us debased; he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure. He calls blest the destiny of the just and boasts that God is his Father. Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him. For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him.” These were their thoughts, but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them, and they knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls’ reward.
Gospel: Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
Jesus moved about within Galilee; he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret. Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ? But we know where he is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from.” So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.” So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come.
Jesus’ hour is not yet: Jesus goes to Jerusalem secretly for the feast because in Judea, Jews want to kill him. Jesus was born a Jew but they rejected Him. When He was in Jerusalem He could speak publicly to those who wanted to listen to them but people got confused because they knew that the authorities wanted to kill him. They were surprised that he was not hiding. They did not recognise Him as Messiah for they knew where He came from and no one was meant to know where the Messiah would come from. The Jews fail to realise the mission of Jesus because they do not know that he comes from God. They fail to realise that he comes not of his accord but sent by God. Do we recognise the presence of Jesus presence especially during the Holy Eucharist, or are we like the Jews?
Prayer: Jesus, open my eyes so that I may recognise your presence.
*******
BUT WE KNOW WHERE HE IS FROM: This is an important theme in John: knowing where Jesus is from, in a material sense (Jn 7:27; 7:41-42), and not knowing where he is from (Jn 2:9, 9:29). Jesus consistently speaks of being sent by the Father, and coming from the Father (Jn 6:38; 7:29; 13:3; 16:28). Therefore, knowing Jesus truly implies knowing that he comes from God/Father (Jn 3:2) Pilate asks Jesus two questions: What is truth (Jn 18:38)? Where do you come from (Jn 19:9)? To both, Jesus answers through silence. As if to say: I AM. We too ask ourselves during this Lenten journey: do I truly know where Jesus is from? Taking for granted that we know Jesus and know where he comes from, is a temptation that we can easily fall into. Like the leaders of the Jews, this is total ignorance. On the contrary, we are invited to keep wondering like the blind man (Jn 9:29).
******
BUT WE KNOW WHERE HE IS FROM: This is an important theme in John: knowing where Jesus is from, in a material sense (Jn 7:27; 7:41-42), and not knowing where he is from (Jn 2:9, 9:29). Jesus consistently speaks of being sent by the Father, and coming from the Father (Jn 6:38; 7:29; 13:3; 16:28). Therefore, knowing Jesus truly implies knowing that he comes from God/Father (Jn 3:2) Pilate asks Jesus two questions: What is truth (Jn 18:38)? Where do you come from (Jn 19:9)? To both, Jesus answers through silence. As if to say: I AM. We too ask ourselves during this Lenten journey: do I truly know where Jesus is from? Taking for granted that we know Jesus and know where he comes from, is a temptation that we can easily fall into. Like the leaders of the Jews, this is total ignorance. On the contrary, we are invited to keep wondering like the blind man (Jn 9:29).
DAILY GOSPEL 