Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Intention: For all who were affected by Monday’s mass shooting in Boulder, Colorado, especially for the repose of the souls of the victims, for comfort and support for their families and friends, and for the healing of the community.
Today’s Gospel | John 10:31-42
The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods’?” If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and Scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power.
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.
A Lenten Reflection
As we move through the Gospel readings leading up to Holy Week, we see the escalating tension between Jesus and his opponents in the Temple establishment. Jesus’ adversaries reject him as a blasphemer and his teachings as heresy. Even his invitation to at least accept what God is trying to do for them falls on deaf ears. In their obstinacy, we see the darkness that Jesus so often warned his disciples about when he spoke to them of the sin of passing judgment.
Rarely does a day go by when we do not need to make a judgement. Our lives are filled with decision making, mostly intended to move us and our lives along productively. But when the act of choosing is meant to disrespect and diminish something or someone, then we move from making judgments to passing judgment. We give ourselves the right to degrade the worth of others, often in order to place ourselves above them. In doing this, we injure both them and ourselves. As author Steve Maraboli writes, “When we are judging everything, we are learning nothing.” Rather than finding in our differences with others the opportunity for learning and growth, we see them as threats to our corrupted version of reality, in defense of which we rationalize our ignorance and assert our self-righteousness.
The need to judge others often comes from an empty spot within ourselves. It can be rooted in our own issues, more about what is happening inside of us than what is happening around us. Lent is a time to ask God to heal in us those spots, so that what is broken in our hearts and spirits might be made whole again. Then, we can again live with the compassion that enables us to see ourselves in others.
Prayer
Eternal Father, just as you are one with your Son, we ask for the faith and strength to be one with each other. In this holy time of Lent, help us to wash all selfishness from our hearts, our minds, our words, and our actions. May we serve you through our care and example to one another. Bless us with the courage to always do your will. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.