Daily Readings - Fri Mar 27 2020
John
1After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life.2But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near,10However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.25At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, "Isn't this the man they are trying to kill?26Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Christ?27But we know where this man is from; when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."28Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him,29but I know him because I am from him and he sent me."30At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time 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.