Wisdom 2:1, 12-22 / John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
Jesus
continues speaking to the Jews: “I did not come on my own.”
In 1945 Igor
Gouzenko, a staff member of the Soviet Embassy in Ottawa, decided to defect to
the Canadian government. He took with him secret documents exposing a Russian
spy ring. Gouzenko was
shocked to discover that the Canadians didn’t believe his story. It was too
incredible. Finally, Ottawa police took Gouzenko into
protective custody, but only after embassy goons broke into his apartment and
wrecked it. Nothing is more painful or frustrating than trying to deal with
people who find your
message too incredible to believe. Jesus, too, knew this kind of pain and
frustration. His message was also too incredible to believe.
*****
How do we handle
frustration? “The only real failure is to quit.” Anonymous
*****
Generally
speaking, we may think that good and kind people will be respected, and that
religious and holy people will be looked up to. More so when we see
pictures or images of saints that give us a feeling of serenity and tranquillity
and we tend to think that good and kind, holy and religious people have no
problems and worries in life. But a serious examination of the lives of these
people will tell us quite a different story.
For example, Archbishop Oscar Romero was shot for speaking up against violence and injustice, St. Maximilian Kolbe was tortured and finally killed for offering to take the place of a condemned prisoner, Martin Luther King was assassinated for speaking on human rights and Gandhi was also assassinated for advocating non-violence in the struggle for independence.The list of good and kind people being persecuted goes on and on, and that makes us re-think our assumptions on how good and kind people are treated.
The 1st reading also state likewise. It gives us an idea of how the godless or wicked people will think in their misguided reasoning. In short, the wicked and evil people have no hope that holiness will be rewarded and they can see no reward for blameless souls. Even Jesus, the Son of God had to face persecutions and evil intentions of harming Him as we heard in the gospel. Yet just as the truth will prevail, so will goodness and holiness.
But we have to persevere. The lives of the saints and holy people tell us this: goodness and holiness will always face persecution from evil and wickedness. But just as Jesus triumphed over evil and death, let us persevere in doing good and leading holy lives so as to share in the victory of Jesus.
*****For example, Archbishop Oscar Romero was shot for speaking up against violence and injustice, St. Maximilian Kolbe was tortured and finally killed for offering to take the place of a condemned prisoner, Martin Luther King was assassinated for speaking on human rights and Gandhi was also assassinated for advocating non-violence in the struggle for independence.The list of good and kind people being persecuted goes on and on, and that makes us re-think our assumptions on how good and kind people are treated.
The 1st reading also state likewise. It gives us an idea of how the godless or wicked people will think in their misguided reasoning. In short, the wicked and evil people have no hope that holiness will be rewarded and they can see no reward for blameless souls. Even Jesus, the Son of God had to face persecutions and evil intentions of harming Him as we heard in the gospel. Yet just as the truth will prevail, so will goodness and holiness.
But we have to persevere. The lives of the saints and holy people tell us this: goodness and holiness will always face persecution from evil and wickedness. But just as Jesus triumphed over evil and death, let us persevere in doing good and leading holy lives so as to share in the victory of Jesus.
Friday of 4th Week of
Lent - Liturgy
THE SUFFERING SERVANT
Introduction
Men and women who claim to know God a bit and to live
consistently as his sons or daughters, are queer and bothersome to unbelievers
as well as to those who take their religion as a set of duties or religious
rites. There is no place for such eccentrics who go against the current, for
their way of life disturbs the established ways of society. It irritates
unbelievers and they want to test the faith of those who trust in God. One has
to conform or else... The person who voices his plaints in the Book of Wisdom
was one of those annoying people. Jesus was another. What about us?
Penitential Rite:
-When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, and from all
their distress he rescues them, LHM
-The LORD is close to the broken-hearted; and those who are
crushed in spirit he saves, CHM
-Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all,
the LORD delivers him, LHM
Opening Prayer
Our God and Father, we claim to be your sons and daughters, who
know that you love us, and that you call us to live the life of Jesus, your
Son. Give us the courage to live this life consistently not to show off, not to
reprove others, but simply because we know that you are our Father and we your
sons and daughters, brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Commentary
Evil finds good intolerable. It will do whatever it can to
eradicate it. This is what comes to the fore in today’s reading from Wisdom.
Evildoers plot against the just person. Why? Because he is a reproach to them.
He follows the path of righteousness, claiming God as his father. Therefore, he
is to be tortured and handed over to death. If he is all that he claims to be,
God will deliver him. Once again it is question of rejecting the message by
killing the messenger. Jesus fares no better at the hands of his accusers. His
opponents claim that his origins are a matter of common knowledge. But when the
messiah comes, his origins will be unknown. Jesus came from Nazareth, a small
northern town and a biblical nonentity. In short, Christ had no noteworthy
credentials and thus was worthy of rejections. But they have failed utterly in
determining Christ’s real origins. The true believer knows that Jesus’ origins
are with the Father who sent him into the world. In knowing neither the Father
nor the Son, Jesus’ enemies are far from the truth. This is the great irony of
John’s Gospel. Many of those who had seen and experienced Christ remained far
from him. They never took the leap of faith. It is one thing to fail to respond
to God’s call; it is quite another to try to rewrite the script. It is better
to say simply and directly, “Lord, I am a sinner.” In an effort to make wrong
seem right, we only do damage to ourselves. We are only one step from
forgiveness. It is far better to admit our sin than to try to make black be
white. Lord, be merciful to me a sinner.
Points to Ponder
Faith in the origins of Jesus
The antithesis between good and evil
Admitting, and not excusing, guilt
Intercessions
– For those who are
persecuted for their faith and for their persecutors, we pray:
– For those to whom life seems a burden hard to bear, that
they carry their cross with the Lord and find relief and happiness, we pray:
– For those who are challenged because of the good they do,
that the Spirit of the Lord may give them the strength to persevere, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God, your Son Jesus was rejected by those whom he
came to save. In this Eucharist he is with us now as our Lord who died for us
but rose again. May we welcome him with love and commit ourselves with him to
the good of our neighbor. May our lives bear witness to him, that no one may
reject him now on account of us, for we claim him as our Lord and Savior for
ever.
Prayer after
Communion
Lord our God, we pray you especially today for those whom
you send to bring the good news of your Son to the world. Give strength to all
who have to bear witness in difficult circumstances, like your missionaries, that
they may not lose heart but remain faithful and close to you and to Jesus
Christ your Son and our Lord for ever.
Blessing
Let our lives bear witness to the Lord, who was persecuted
and suffered so that we may have forgiveness and life. May almighty God bless
you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
