Openness to God’s work of salvation

Thursday, March 26, 2015
5th Week of Lent
1st Reading: Gen 17:3–9
Gospel: Jn 8:51–59

Jesus said to the Jews, “Truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never experience death.” The Jews replied, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died and the prophets as well, but you say: ‘Whoever keeps my word will never experience death.’ Who do you claim to be? Do you claim to be greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets also died.”

Then Jesus said, “If I were to praise myself, it would count for nothing. But he who gives glory to me is the Father, the very one you claim as your God, although you don’t know him. I know him and if I were to say that I don’t know him, I would be a liar like you. But I know him and I keep his word. As for Abraham, your ancestor, he looked forward to the day when I would come; and he rejoiced when he saw it.”

The Jews then said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” And Jesus said “Truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” They then picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated
Life Experience)

In biblical language, knowing a person entails a certain degree of intimate relationship. Now we understand why the Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy when he declared that he “knew” God. And when he went to the point of declaring he existed before Abraham, They charged him with utter disrespect of their Patriarch from whom they derived their identity as chosen people of God. (Gen 17:3–9).

In anger the Jews threw stones at Jesus. Something must be wrong, but surely not on the side of Jesus! “If you lose your temper, it is a sign that you have wrong on your side” (Chinese Proverb). The normal reaction of an unbiased person would have been to weigh evidences carefully. What about the miracles that substantiated his claims? But the Jews closed their minds and even sought to kill him.

Their anger simmered down only when Jesus gave up his spirit. “Hate is like an acid,” wrote Ann Landers, “it does more damage to the vessel in which it is stored than to the object on which it is poured.” Hatred did more damage to the Jews than to Jesus who only had to rise again three days after his death. The Jews who did not accept him in effect took exemption from a freely given salvation.

The Jews did not understand the kind of relationship Jesus had with the Father because in the first place they did not have any relationship with Jesus to begin with. As we go through this waning season of Lent let us strive to be open to him. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.
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