Reading 1
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.
Ps 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23
Responsorial PsalmR.(19a)
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
R.The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
Many are the troubles of the just man,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him.
R.The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
He watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
The LORD redeems the lives of his servants;
no one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.
R.The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
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.
Meditation: Wisdom 2:1,12-22
“Merely to see him is a hardship for us.” (Wisdom 2:14)
Do you know someone whose life seems so together that you can’t bear being around him or her? Finances? In perfect order. Kids? All honor students with good manners. Appearance? Not a hair out of place and not a single pound overweight. Home? Always immaculate and tastefully decorated. Each bit of “perfection” only highlights your own shortcomings and makes you feel more and more inadequate.
That’s one way to understand how the people in today’s first reading responded to “the just one” in their midst (Wisdom 2:12). They couldn’t measure up, and in their envy they sought to rid themselves of the reminder of their failure.
We are coming near the end of Lent. In the next couple of weeks, we will see dark clouds gather around Jesus as he heads toward the cross. We will see him bear his fate heroically yet humbly. Perfect servant of the Lord that he is, he will meet his persecutors “not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street” (Isaiah 42:2). It can be hard to look at Jesus in these readings, especially if we are convinced his standard. Who among us could endure all the unmerited abuse meted out to Jesus and never once raise a word of protest or a promise of revenge? Surely we would fail miserably at any test of faith that comes our way!
But this isn’t how Jesus looks at us. He didn’t come to condemn us, he came to save us. He sees us as his brothers and sisters, children of God who are precious and valuable to his Father. He also sees the good that is already in us, as well as all the good that God still wants to do for us. Yes, we may need to be sifted so that old sins and pride can give way to his blessings. But the One who does
the sifting is gentle and compassionate, not harsh and judgmental. And it’s even better to know that the sifting will bring us to a place of greater peace and confidence!
So don’t be afraid to take a good, long look at the cross today. Gaze deeply at your Savior, and tell him that you want to receive his love.
“Jesus, teach me to see you with new eyes!”
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