Tuesday | Fifth Week of Lent
Gospel: John 8:21-30 Again Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and though you look for me, you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” The Jews wondered, “Why does he say that we can’t come where he is going? Will he kill himself?”
Today’s Reflection
Gospel: John 8:21-30
April 5, 2022 | Tuesday
Again Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and though you look for me, you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come.” The Jews wondered, “Why does he say that we can’t come where he is going? Will he kill himself?”
But Jesus said, “You are from below and I am from above; you are of this world and I am not of this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. And you shall die in your sins, unless you believe that I am He.”
They asked him, “Who are you?”; and Jesus said, “Just what I have told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the One who sent me is truthful and everything I learned from him, I proclaim to the world.”
They didn’t understand that Jesus was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He and that I do nothing of myself, but I say just what the Father taught me. He who sent me is with me and has not left me alone; because I always do what pleases him.” As Jesus spoke like this, many believed in him.
Today’s Reflection:
There are non-believers who can get traumatized or are shocked by the sight of violence when they look at an image of the crucified Jesus. It must be difficult for those who are not instructed into the faith, or those who outrightly deny it, to reconcile why we revere a tortured and murdered man. This kind of reactions will also not surprise Jesus for even his own enemies are surprised and can’t understand why this Jesus, who is esteemed as a king and equal to the Father, chose the excruciating and humiliating crucifixion to mark his exaltation, enthronement and commemoration. The sight of the crucified Jesus can trigger from people the most dumbfounding kinds of reaction such as: “This is the dumbest form of stupidity,” or the most uncaring form of indifference, or “This is the most sublime kind of mystery that happened in history.” As followers of Christ, let us be reminded of why this sacrifice was chosen by Jesus in the first place. Let us always remember how He did everything to save us. /Vulnerasti, 2022
