Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
It is so ridiculously easy to feel despair, anxiety, and worry. I've been surrounded this week by people who ask: why bother with the church? Isn't Christianity just dying? The "young people" just don't care anymore, they'll say. While I don't think Christianity is (or should be) a numbers game and that Jesus is never "relevant" to cultures, I do worry about being a good evangelist for new generations - especially my own children. I've been surrounded this week, too, by hundreds of stories (literally) about the Steubenville rape trial, its victims, more rape victims in around the world, and rape culture as a whole. Golly - sex and women - we don't treat either very well more often than not.
So in today's readings, I'm seeing echoes of my own concerns - but also glimpses of light. For as we near Holy Week, the readings seem to get darker and darker - but in that context we are also always reminded that no matter how dark things get, God is, really is, there. I am reminded to see glimpses of light.
Today’s gospel reading (John 10:31-42) depicts just one of the many times that people have tried to arrest or kill Jesus. Thus far, it seems, Jesus stands as the traditional hero in an action film, capable of pulling stunning disappearing acts and just managing to escape from tight spots to the relief of adoring fans. Jesus is working against evil and going around doing good, and all the while managing to stay one step ahead of his enemies. But as we already know, Jesus’ enemies will one day succeed. Jesus’ own successes will disappear and in their place, his enemies will have appeared to succeed to the point of killing him.
Today’s scriptures are therefore meant to help us deal with the events to come. These are not scriptures aimed at celebrating Jesus’ current success in staying ahead of his enemies, but aimed at giving us some faith and hope in those times when everything seems to be darkness and despair.
The Old Testament reading (Jeremiah 20:10-13) depicts a person who is deliberately being framed, and he is aware of that fact. What hurts is not only that he appears to be falsely accused, but that it is his supposed friends that are the ones doing the denouncing. Despite all that, Jeremiah is able to proclaim that God is there, championing his cause. There are “many” people who are watching for any little misstep, but Jeremiah believes that he will prevail against the many, because God can conquer all.
The Old Testament reading sets us up for the gospel reading – for here we find that Jesus is, in fact, being denounced in ways similar to what Jeremiah experienced. And now, note, it is not merely the scribes and Pharisees that are out to get Jesus, but more generally, the “Jews”, Jesus’ own kinsmen and friends. They say he is being blasphemous; he maintains he is doing good. They say he can’t be the Son of God; he asks them why they should be uncomfortable with him being consecrated the Son of God, since after all God’s own word in the Bible names people as “gods”.
There is extraordinary faith shown in today’s readings, which are meant to gird us up for the emotional week ahead. These readings foreshadow Jesus’ own display of faith throughout the horrific events of Holy Thursday and Good Friday. His friends will denounce him, betray him, deny him; he will ask God to let “the cup pass” from him; he will cry, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Through it all, there are also glimpses of faith. And God will not let this bottomless outpouring of despair from every possible side be final.
When we ourselves are faced with despair like this, may we remember , too, that God is our champion, and that despair is not the final answer God gives. So - in addition to the points I mentioned above - I find also that Pope Francis has moved Holy Thursday masses to the local prison, I find my two year old giving me hugs and kisses and I find that there are glimpses of hope.
- Jana M. Bennett