Contemplating today's Gospel
Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)
My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! Praised be the Lord, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies.
The breakers of death surged round about me, the destroying floods overwhelmed me; the cords of the nether world enmeshed me, the snares of death overtook me.
In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.
He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, “John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” And many there began to believe in him.
“For which of these are you trying to stone me?”
Fr. Carles ELÍAS i Cao (Barcelona, Spain)Today, Friday, with just one week left to commemorate the death of the Lord, the Gospel presents the reasons for His condemnation. Jesus tries to reveal the truth, but the Jews consider Him blasphemous and worthy of stoning. Jesus speaks of the works He performs, works of God that testify to Him, how He can give Himself the title of "Son of God"... However, He speaks of subjects difficult for His adversaries to understand: "being in the truth," "hearing His voice"...; He speaks of following and commitment to His person that make Jesus known and loved —"Rabbi, where are you staying?" (Jn 1:38) the disciples asked at the beginning of His ministry—. But it all seems futile: what Jesus tries to say is so profound that they cannot grasp it, only the childlike and simple can understand, for the Kingdom is hidden from the wise and learned.
Jesus struggles to present arguments they might accept, but the attempt is in vain. Fundamentally, He will die for telling the truth about Himself, for being faithful to Himself, His identity, and His mission. As a prophet, He will issue a call to conversion and be rejected, present a new face of God and be spat upon, propose a new brotherhood and be abandoned.
Again, the Lord's Cross rises with all its power as the true standard, the only indisputable reason: "O wonderful power of the holy cross! O unspeakable glory of the Father! On it, we can see the Lord's judgment seat, the judgment of the world, and the power of the Crucified. O yes, Lord: you drew all things to yourself when, with your arms extended all day long to an unbelieving and rebellious people (cf. Is 65:2), the entire universe understood that it must pay homage to your majesty!" (Saint Leo the Great). Jesus has to flee to the other side of the Jordan, and those who truly believe in Him move there, ready to follow Him and listen to Him.
Thoughts on Today's Gospel
“I believe, in order to understand; and I understand, the better to believe.” (Saint Augustine)
“So many people were in close contact with Jesus and they did not believe… If your heart is always closed, faith doesn’t enter! Instead God the Father draws us to Jesus: it is we who open or close our hearts.” (Francis)
“The signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has sent him. They invite belief in him. To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what they ask. So miracles strengthen faith in the One who does his Father's works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God (cf. Jn 10:31-38).” (Catechism Of The Catholic Church, Nº 548)
