Daily Readings - Fri Mar 27 2020
John
1After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.2Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand.10But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private.25Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, "Is not this the man whom they seek to kill?26And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?27But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from."28So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know.29I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me."30So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the tension between faith and unbelief, as well as the mystery of God’s presence in the world. In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, we encounter a vivid depiction of the wicked plotting against the just man. The passage reveals the twisted logic of those who reject the righteous and question their relationship with God. They assume the just man’s claims about knowing God are false and decide to test him through suffering and death. This passage reflects the age-old struggle between those who walk in the light of faith and those who are blinded by malice and ignorance of God’s ways.
In the Gospel, we see a similar dynamic unfold as Jesus teaches in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. The crowd is divided: some question whether he could truly be the Messiah, while others are astonished that the authorities have not yet apprehended him. Jesus cries out, affirming that he has been sent by the Father, but many fail to recognize the truth because they do not know God. This passage highlights the spiritual blindness that can prevent people from seeing God’s presence, even when it is right before their eyes.
These readings remind us that faith is not always easy, and it often requires us to trust in God even when we face doubt, rejection, or suffering. Like the just man in Wisdom, we may encounter those who question our beliefs or even persecute us for living according to God’s will. Like the crowd in the Gospel, we may struggle to recognize God’s presence in our lives or in the world around us. Yet, the readings encourage us to remain steadfast in our faith, to trust in God’s truth, and to live with integrity, even when it is difficult. Let us ask for the grace to see God more clearly and to walk in his light, no matter the challenges we may face.