Thursday – 5th Week in Lent

Gospel – John 8:51-59

Kill the Messenger?

Boat Church, Magdala

Sit down!  We need to talk!  Uh oh!  This is not going to go well.  Whether it’s our boss (my office, NOW!) or our parents (we are not happy), when those words happen, we know this is NOT a time for good news!  Something bad is coming! 

Let’s face it, nobody likes to hear bad news; nobody likes to hear the honest truth.  We’d rather stop up our ears and pretend we aren’t listening rather than accept the news that maybe, just maybe, we aren’t as perfect as we think or that our beliefs are not in line with the truth!  We either blind ourselves to the truth or we lash out at the person speaking the truth.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues to debate with the Pharisees.  And He says in very plain language, I AM the Son of God.  And the Jews’ reaction?  Kill the messenger!  They pick up stones to throw at Him. They refuse to accept the truth; they refuse to allow the possibility that their beliefs could be in error. 

At times in our lives, we all need a bit of humility.  We all need a good dose of loving honesty from a friend.  At times, we all stray from the path and need some gentle correction to get back on track.  So please be open to the course correction and please don’t kill the messenger!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
  Sunday – 13 th Sunday in Ordinary Time   revisited Gospel – Matthew 10:37-42 The Cost/Rewards of Discipleship Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem I’m holding in my hand a simple piece of paper, barely bigger than an index card.   It’s a mini-golf scorecard and it’s 47 years old.   At the time, the game itself probably cost only about $6.   Certainly a lot less than you would pay today.   So the cost today doesn’t seem like much.   But for me all that time ago, it was a wealth of money.   So it cost me a lot.   But the rewards of the card?   Well, that is priceless.   This was one of the first dates Ginger and I went on.   And who would have guessed how that would turn out?   All the memories we have shared, painful and joyful.   All the times we have shared together and the people who have touched our lives!   Priceless! Cost and reward!   Two vastly different concepts but they play a key role in all of today’s readings.   In the first reading, a rich woman goes out of her way t
Read more
Image
  14 th Sunday in Ordinary Time   revisited Gospel – Matthew 11:25-30 The “Little Ones” Open Market, Jerusalem There’s a story about a rather eccentric teacher who was always looking for creative ways to test (torture) his students.   Sometimes it was crazy project and sometimes it was a wacky exam that tested not just their knowledge but also their experience. So one day he hands out a test, typical normal test, Q/A, except this was the last question.   What’s the name of the school janitor?   One of his students looked at the question and thought – I know he’s short, wears glasses and has light brown hair but how in the world would I know his name?   So he left it blank and turned in his paper. When class was over, he went up to the teacher and asked whether that last question would count in the test grade.   Absolutely, said the teacher.   Throughout your whole life, you will find that every person you cross paths with is important, significant.   They deserve you
Read more
Image
  16 th Sunday in Ordinary Time   revisited Gospel – Matthew 13:24-30 Be Patient, My Child Tied Up in Knots! Many years ago, I remember one summer when it was time for our daughter Jaime to learn how to ride a bicycle.   So I took off the training wheels, she climbed onto the bike and proceeded to take off.   I followed close behind, holding onto the back bumper, trying to keep the bike upright and trying to make sure she didn’t fall.   It was exhausting for both of us.   I thought I was being a good dad by doing everything I could to keep her from falling.   But it didn’t work.   We were both getting frustrated.   Finally, she had had enough and she banished me to sit on the front porch while she worked it out on her own.   It took time and it took a lot of patience, something neither one of us had much of at the start of the process. I was getting impatient with the process and she was getting impatient with me.   Patience was in short supply.   But in the end, patience w
Read more