Lifted Serpent and Lifted Jesus: God’s Saving Grace – Tuesday of the 5th Week of Lent

Today’s Scripture readings starts by recalling us how patient God was with His mercy for the Israelites, even though they were stubbornly sinful, and His saving mercy manifested as the bronze serpent lifted on Moses’ pole (Numbers 21:4-9).

To begin with, as in Numbers 21:5, the sin of the Israelites in this context is mainly the sin of ingratitude to God’s providence, which stretched from delivering them out of the slavery in Egypt through Pesach (Passover), cutting off chasing enemies upon crossing the Red Sea miraculously (Exodus 12-14). The Israelites are forever in debt of gratitude to God for this strain of mighty saving actions. For this reason, the Israelites observe the feast of Pesach, followed by the feast of Chag Hamatzot (unleavened bread). Before crossing the Red Sea, Moses reminded this to his fellow Israelites in the context of the dedication of the firstborn (Exodus 13:3-16). Yes, they praised and gave thanks to God, upon crossing to the shore of freedom, seeing their chasing enemies destroyed in the Red Sea (Exodus 15:1-21). But, the freedom also came with inevitable challenges to navigate through the wilderness. Without faith, it was totally uncharted wilderness, easy to get lost and perished.

Apparently, none of the Israelites were not prepared for these challenges in the freedom beyond the Read through the wilderness on Exodus, before reaching the promised land. Though the challenges were for the Israelites to be tested for their faith, many began to fail this test of faith rather quickly, as they started complaining (Exodus 16:2-3), quickly forgetting how God delivered them to freedom from slavery, for thirst and hunger. In response to their complaints, God provided them and alleviated their challenges with the water from the rock and the manna from heaven along with quail meat (Exodus 16:4-17:7). Nevertheless, they complained again and again (i.e. Numbers 11:1-15; 14:1-9; 20:2-5), as their sinfulness prevented them from understanding what it means to experience that God’s grace is enough, as in Psalm 23:1, as well as in 2 Corinthians 12:9.  This is what precedes to the context of today’s first reading, Numbers 21:4-9, which is also in sequence to Numbers 20:1-13, in which Moses himself sinned for failing to follow God’s instruction in response to the Israelites’ complaints for thirst, costing him his chance to enter the promised land.

Now, today’s Gospel reading (John 8:21-30) reflects ongoing debates about who Jesus was. And, the debates had divided people between those who began to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and those who refuse to believe. At the same time, the darkness of the world, wishing to kill Jesus, had been brewing as the day of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem (John 12:12-19; Matthew 21:1–11//Mark 11:1–11// Luke 19:28–44) drew nearer. The Gospel reading of last Friday (Friday of the 4^th week of Lent), John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30, and the Gospel reading of last Saturday, John 7:40-53) have indicated that the religious leaders were already eager to capture Jesus to kill him. In yesterday’s Gospel reading (John 8:1-11), too, these leaders set up a trap with a legal dilemma to catch Jesus, bringing a woman, accused of adultery. In today’s Gospel (John 8:21-30), we see how the ongoing debates on who Jesus was zeroed in on where Jesus was from and where he was going. And, this debate left people in confusion and division.

So, the question for today’s readings is: How does the first reading (Numbers 21:4-9) is related to the Gospel reading (John 8:21-20) are related?

There is a juxtaposition between the bronze serpent mounted on a pole, made by Moses, as God commanded him (Numbers 21:8-9) and Jesus’ Christological statement on himself being lifted up (John 8:28). Bronze serpent lifted up on a pole of Moses and Jesus being lifted up either on the Cross on the day of his death or into heaven on the day of his Ascension are paralleled. Given the Lenten context, Jesus being lifted in today’s Gospel reading refers to him being hung on the Cross in interpreting John 8:28, along Jesus' Christological discourse to Nicodemus in John 3:14-15, though it is more appropriate to interpret it as Jesus’ Ascension, if read during the Paschal Season.  This way, we can make a better connection between Jesus being lifted up (on the Cross) in John 8:28 and the bronze serpent lifted on a poll of Moses in Numbers 21:8-9, because both of these became reality as results of our sins, but become sources of saving grace for us, sinners.

When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me (John 8:28).

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life (John 3:14-15).

 The lifted bronze serpent on Moses’ pole was made as Moses prayed to God, amidst of God’s punishment of sinful Israelites during the Exodus.  God put Israelites among serpents to punish them for their sin of ingratitude. The serpents killed many Israelites. Then, the surviving Israelites repented and asked Moses to pray to God (Numbers 21:7). And he did, and God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent on his pole, which became a tool to save those who were bitten by serpents.

Ever since Adam and Eve fell, suffering and death have been with humans. The first sinful act after the fall of Adam and Eve was committed by their elder son, Cain, and it was murdering his younger brother, Abel. The older brother’s sin resulted in death of innocent younger brother. Death. Sufferings and deaths are mentioned throughout the Scriptures, either as God-inflicted as His punishments to sinful humans or as sinful humans’ self-inflicted consequences of their own sinful actions.  In response to these sufferings and deaths, humans cried to God, repented their sins, and asked for help. And, God responded with His mercy. Otherwise, humans would have been extinct long ago.

God has punished humans for their sins, and the punishments resulted in sufferings and deaths. God’s wrath and punishment in response to our sins are real. Nevertheless, it is also true that God still loves us, in spite of our sinfulness, and through His mercy, it is His desire to save us, as we repent and renounce sins, as we return to God upon our penance for reconciliation.

As the surviving Israelites, amidst God’s punishment with serpents, repented and asked Moses to pray to Him, God brought saving grace to them through the bronze serpent on Moses’ pole to look at.

About 2,000 years ago, God, again, responded to evils and sinfulness of the humans with His mercy, by lifting up His only begotten Son, Jesus, the Christ. Though some remained stubbornly sinful, while others repented, as John the Baptist had called, and came to believe in Jesus as the living Christ, the Messiah. So, God lifted the Son, Jesus, who is also the son of Mary, on the Cross to save us! He lifted up the Son out of his tomb to validate and ascertain the salvation! And the Son lifted himself up to the Father in heaven so that we may have places in the Father’s heavenly house (John 14:2) and so that we may receive the Holy Spirit as another Parakletos (John 14:16, 26; 16:7).

Starting with a criminal, who acknowledges his sin and believed Jesus as the Messiah and the King, on his cross, next to him, Jesus lifted on the Cross began to save us (cf. Luke 23:40-43). He was lifted up from his tomb and lifted up to heaven to make God’s saving grace even more powerful so that more and more people can be saved, upon repentance and reconciliation.

Yes, lifted Jesus is far more powerful in saving us than the bronze serpent lifted on Moses’ pole. Jesus has been lifted on the Cross, and he shed the blood and water (John 19:34) as the gushing flow of the Divine Mercy (299, Diary of St. Faustina). Jesus has been lifted from the tomb as the powerful victory over death so that death has no longer has its final say. Jesus has been lifted up in heaven to be reunited with the Father, who sent him down as God incarnate, so that our salvation is ascertained upon the judgement at the end of time.

Those who are benefited from the salvific effect of lifted Christ are the ones who understand Jesus’ statement: that I am (John 8:28), in connection to “I am”(Yahweh) in Exodus 3:14.

In today’s Gospel reading (John 8:21-30), as in the Gospel reading of last Saturday (John 7:40-53), more and more people began to believe in Jesus in response to the signs he had performed and his teaching, while the darkness to kill Jesus among the wicked was quickly advancing.

To those who are in darkness, those who are spiritually blind, it is impossible to understand what Jesus meant by saying that he was going away where they could not come (John 8:29). But, for those who can see Jesus as Christ to be lifted up, we can understand that Jesus is going away (John 8:21) so that he be lifted up for us to know he is the Lord, as the Yahweah (I AM) is (John 8:28). He is to be lifted up, as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness (Numbers 21:9), for our eternal life (John 3:14-15). This way, Jesus can say to us, "Where I am going, you know the way"(John 14:9). 

These periods of time in these Gospel narratives, leading up to Jesus’ final week in Jerusalem, are reflected in this time of Lent, so closer to the Holy Week. That is why we see the growing division between those who are to be saved by the lifted-up Christ and those who are not because of their refusal to see Christ as the Messiah, even when he was lifted up on the Cross.

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Which side of the division are you at this point on your Lenten journey? Have you come closer to the Lord, the one who has said that I am – the one who has been lifted up? Or, have you found yourself drifting away from him? Have you been closely following the Lord to his Cross, in order to see him lifted up? Or have you gone farer away from him, destined to miss him being lifted up on the Cross?

What do see Jesus going away - going and going to be lifted up on the Cross - lifted up from the tomb - and lifted up to heaven, as he is going and going? What do you see in Jesus being lifted up? 

Justice of God over Injustice and Evil of Falsely Accused: Monday of the 5th Week of Lent (A)

Sometimes, it is interesting to read the Scriptures with “what if”, because there are so many facts not necessarily written with letters in the sacred books. And, a case in this point is found in today’s Scripture readings: the story of Susanna and Daniel in Daniel 13 and the story of a woman accused of adultery and Jesus in John 8.

What if the woman accused of adultery in John 8 did not commit adultery but falsely accused as in the case of Susanna in Daniel 13? Then, it would mean that the wickedness and evil so eager to kill Jesus could even use false accusation to arrest Jesus. If it is the case, we must ask: how low could human morality be denigrated once it is infected with evil?

The accusers and executioners said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery” (John 8:4). But, does it necessarily mean the woman had actually committed adultery, thus, deserving to die, according to Deuteronomy 22:13-21? The Johannine Gospel text did not mention anything about necessary sufficient witnesses to convict a person with a violation of the Law for death sentence in light of Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15. Therefore, the accusation that the Pharisees and the Scribes made against the woman for adultery could be false and have no legal merit. Nevertheless, the woman was accused and brought to Jesus. Why, did they do such a thing?

If you follow how the Johannine narratives of Jesus’ life are developed from the previous chapters, you notice that it is to trap Jesus with a legal dilemma that the Pharisees and the Scribes set up. In the Gospel reading of last Saturday (Saturday of the 4^th week of Lent: John 7:40-53), we noticed that the religious leaders’ desire to arrest and kill Jesus was growing. But, their attempt to catch Jesus failed because of the guards had wondered about a possibility of Jesus being the actual Messiah. Nevertheless, the wickedness in the religious leaders never gave up in their attempt to catch and kill Jesus. So, this time, it is possible that they set up an adultery case in order to trap Jesus in a legal dilemma between the Jewish Law on punishing adultery and the Roman Law.

During the time of Jesus, Judah was under the control of the Roman Empire. Thus, Judah was not considered as a sovereign state but rather a vassal state, under the Roman jurisdiction. It means that the Jews under the Roman jurisdiction, whether in the Roman territories or vassal states, had no legal rights to prosecute and execute. It means that the Roman authority did not honor the legality of the Jewish Law – the Torah. This reality of the time created a legal dilemma for Jesus in responding to the case of the woman accused of adultery.

The accusers knew that they could report Jesus to the Roman authorities for disrespecting the Roman Law if he had allowed them to execute the woman. At the same time, they knew they could accuse Jesus for not honoring the Jewish Law, if he interrupted the process of execution of the accused woman.

John 8:6 reminds that the accusers’ intent was to trap Jesus so that they would be able to get rid of Jesus. And, for this evil mission, they would not mind setting up a case against the woman, even without a legally sufficient witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15) against her.

It is interesting to note that Jesus did not challenge these wicked leaders’ action against the woman and against him by challenging the legality of the case they were making to stone the woman to death, invoking Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15. Rather, he challenged the very hearts of the accusers, telling that only those who have never sinned are qualified to throw a stone at her (John 8:7). And, this resulted that they could not make a case against her, as they recognized their own sinfulness and left the scene, leaving the woman and Jesus alone.

Jesus, then, told the woman, “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more”(John 8:11).  Jesus did not tell her not to commit adultery anymore. He simply said sin no more. Jesus just wanted to make sure that she will not sin, knowing that we all are sinners, for whom he came to this world to save. We should not jump on to a hasty conclusion to assume that she had committed adultery, though she has sinned just as we all have.

My understanding of today’s Gospel narrative (John 8:1-8) is based on my exegesis of Daniel 13 (the Book of Susanna), from which today’s first reading (Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62) is taken.

In Daniel 13, Susanna, wife of Joakim, was falsely accused for adultery by two wicked judges (elders) of the community in Babylon (suggesting that the setting was during the Babylonian exile). It was the unquenchable lust of these wicked old men to violate Susanna. However, their attempt to rape her was botched as she screamed for help. Rather than vanishing from the site, these wicked men turned the situation to kill Susanna by the Jewish Law, the same Law that the woman in John 8:1-11, was accused of.

In response to Susanna’s scream, people came to the scene and found her with the two men with the legal authority. The men made a case and told the people that she must have had a sexual act with a young man, whom they could not catch. But, they demanded to the people that Susanna needed to be tried by the Law.

Because the wicked men, who tried to violate Susanna, were the judges, they presided her trial. They were determined to execute her according to the Law, which they had authority in. Justice was hijacked by the wicked judges as a result of their failure to rape her. And, she was destined to be killed by the hijacked Law. Then, Daniel, a man of God, appeared to challenge these wicked judges, proving that the judges’ accusatory witnesses against Susanna were lies with their inconsistency between the mastic tree and the oak tree (Daniel 13:55, 59). And, the justice brought by Daniel convicted the wicked judge and sentenced them to death. And, Susanna was vindicated.

Juxtaposing Daniel 13 (Book of Susanna) and John 8:1-11, a point of today’s Scripture readings (Daniel 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 and John 8:1-11) is about injustice of false accusation and how God’s justice counters. As Daniel responded to Susanna’s case and as Jesus responded to the woman accused of adultery, God’s justice prevails. The readings also challenge us for our tendency to make decisions hastily – only with our biased assumptions without thoroughly examining.

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In philosophy classes, as well as science classes, we have learned the follies of hasty reasoning. In science, testing the validity of hypotheses demands meticulous and thorough investigatory verification to minimize the probabilities of unintended errors or omissions. Nevertheless, in science, we humbly know a conclusion we draw from our thorough hypotheses testing can never attain perfect validity. The same can be applied to a legal process. Past cases reversed on appeals are examples of this problem in our legal system.

Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Essence of Eternal Life, the Power of the Resurrection: 5th Sunday of Lent (A)

After we reflected on the light of God, which enables us to see, in the Scripture readings on last Sunday (4^th Sunday of Lent, a.k.a. Laetare Sunday)(1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41), now we have come to the 5th Sunday (Lazarus Sunday) on our Lenten pilgrimage journey through the spiritual wilderness! There are 6 Sundays in Lent, with Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday) being the 6th Sunday. Out of the 6 Lenten Sundays, we are now on the 5th. It means that we are getting ready to wrap up our Lenten journey, coming closer to our three-fold destination: the Cenacle (Upper Room), the Cross, and the Tomb. The Cenacle, where Jesus hosted the Last Supper, washed the disciples’ feet, and he also gave his farewell discourse, recorded in John 14-17. The Cross, where Jesus offered up himself for our salvation. The Tomb, from which Jesus rose from the dead.

As our Lenten journey comes nearer to its end on Maundy Thursday in Holy Week, followed by Paschal Triduum and the Resurrection Sunday, the Scripture Readings on this Sunday(5th Sunday of Lent, cycle A) (Ezekiel 37:12-14; Romans 8:8-1; John 11:1-45) are all about the Holy Spirit and resurrection. But it is not Christ's Resurrection. Rather, it is actually about our eschatological resurrection that Jesus has promised (Cf John 6:39) and that Paul described in detail in connection to Christ's Resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:12-58.

According to today’s Gospel reading (John 7:1-45), Jesus’ friend in Bethany, Lazarus, died. It was also when Jesus' own death was nearing, as the fullness of time for him to die on the Cross was fast-approaching, reflecting this time in the Liturgical Calendar, nearing to Holy Week.  Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary, were not happy about the delay in Jesus' visit, as Lazarus had been in his tomb for already 4 days, when Jesus finally came.

 

Why Jesus did not come early enough to save Lazarus' lives he as he did for a royal official's son in Cana (known as the second sign of Jesus, out of the seven signs of Jesus in John's Gospel, read on Last Tuesday, John 4:43-54)?

It is to help us understand that the signs of Jesus are not just about turning water into wine (1st sign: John 2:1-11) and healing the sick (2nd sign: John 4:43-54) but even bringing the dead back to life (7th sign: John 7:1-45)!

And it is by God's salvific power in Jesus! It is, in essence, the Holy Spirit!

The Second Reading (Romans 8:8-11), Paul explains that this power of God in Christ, demonstrated in raising Lazarus from the dead in the Gospel reading, is the same power that raised Christ from the dead, and it is, indeed, the Holy Spirit!! Paul also reminds us that the Holy Spirit needs to dwell in us, as indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a mark of our discipleship - a proof that we belong to Christ. This truth is also addressed by Paul in ‎1 Corinthians 6:19 (we, as temples of the Holy Spirit), as well as in 1 Corinthians 3:16 (we, temples of God, the Holy Spirit).

Hold on to this truth about the Holy Spirit of our being in today's Second Reading until the evening of the Resurrection Sunday, when the risen Christ said to his fear-stricken disciples in the Upper Room: Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22) and until we read from Acts 2 on Pentecost, when the disciples were infused with the Holy Spirit. The same Spirit of God that delivered the disciples from fear on the evening of the Resurrection Sunday,transforms us into the Apostolic Church and send us to all the ends of the earth with the power and gifts to expand the Church , as fishers of people!

Yes, the bottom line is the Holy Spirit!! And the First reading (Ezekiel 37:12-14) also echoes this truth about the Holy Spirit! The v 14 also reminds how God gave life to Adam, the first man in Genesis 2:7. It was the life-giving of breath of God that gave life to a dirt mold into God's own image, and that breath of God is the same Holy Sprit to bring dry bones in the valley of tears back to life in Ezekiel's vision.

Yes, as long as we do not cut ourselves from him, keeping us as temples of the Holy Spirit, it is the Holy Spirit that keeps us alive and will raise us from the dead upon Christ's return ( cf. Revelation 20:4-6) , Jesus raised Lazarus and as Jesus was raised from the dead, as dry bones are brought back to life! Amen!

Reflection:

Where in your life do you see “dry bones”? What have contributed to the emergence of the dry bones” in you? What can you do to let the Holy Spirit turn the “dry bones” in you back to the fullness of life?

A Jeremiah - Jesus Parallel: Objects of Murderous Persecution by the Spiritual Darkness - Saturday of the 4th Week of Lent (A)

The Scripture readings for the last day of the 4^th week of Lent, Jeremiah 11:18-20; John 7:40-53, parallel prophet Jeremiah and Jesus. How? They are both objects of persecutory conspiracies. They became targets of persecution because of their work for God. They were persecuted because of those who were wicked and those who blind to God’s truth. As the Holy Week is drawing near, we also notice the progression of the evil plot to kill Jesus in the daily Scripture readings this week and next week.

Those who made Jeremiah the target of their persecutory conspiracy, made him feel like being a gentle lamb led to the slaughter (Jeremiah 11:19) are those who ignored King Josiah’s efforts of spiritual reform and continued to live with sins, being away from God. Those who wanted to arrest and kill Jesus were religious leaders, who viewed Jesus as a man of blasphemy for speaking and acting as if the Messiah, because of their utter ignorance.

From the chapter 2 on, Jeremiah put his prophetic warning against the wickedness of his people. He knew how the wickedness of his people had led his nation, Judah, into the Babylonian seize of Jerusalem, resulting in the Babylonian exile. Jeremiah knew that the tragedy of having Jerusalem destroyed by the Babylonians and the humiliation of being in exile in the land of the invaders were consequences of the wickedness of his people, defying King Josiah’s sincere efforts of reform.

Jeremiah must have hoped for a new fresh start as King Josiah had hoped. And, God commissioned him as His prophet to send His message for conversion so that they could reform themselves – their kingdom. Otherwise, they would face the Babylonian invasion. In today’s first reading (Jeremiah 11:18-20), we see a snapshot of how Jeremiah’s own town folks in Anathoth were reacting to his prophecy. They were plotting to wipe out not only Jeremiah but his name out of history, as well: “Let us destroy the tree in its vigor; let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name will no longer be remembered”(Jeremiah 11:19).  And, Jeremiah had already sensed this threat to himself.

The wickedness that refused to listen to God’s message in Jeremiah’s prophecy, reflecting King Josiah’s spirit, but to desire to wipe our him, instead, is the kind of wickedness reflected in the first reading of yesterday (Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22).

This kind of murderous wickedness to get rid of God’s servants for conversion and reform remained stubborn – even during the post-exilic age, in spite of the post-exilic prophet’s strenuous efforts. Penance during the exile and conversion for the fresh start at the beginning of the post-exilic restoration of Jerusalem did not last long.  As it is reflected in today’s Gospel reading (John 7:40-53), this kind of wickedness was again rampant, after about 600 years from the Jeremiah’s time in the first reading. And, the same wickedness turned into a conspiracy to kill Jesus!

In the Gospel reading today, continuing on yesterday’s Gospel reading and narratives prior to that, you can see the persecutory conspiracy against Jesus in its development. The religious leaders, including the Pharisees, who were proud of their expertise in the Mosaic Law, were becoming progressively irritated and indignant about how Jesus performed miracle signs and preached from Galilee to Jerusalem. While the leaders had become determined to arrest and kill Jesus, some people wondered that Jesus could be the prophesized Messiah. As yesterday’s Gospel reading (John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30) describes, the public reaction to Jesus’ actions and words resulted in a division between those who refused to see him as the Messiah but to see him a blasphemer, deserved to be killed according to the Law, and those who wonder about a possibility of Jesus being the Messiah, as well as those who began to believe him as the Messiah. Today’s Gospel text (John 7:40-53) gives a continuing story about the division with an eye on the progression and stumbling of the wickedness’s plan to kill Jesus.

The wicked religious leaders, determined to kill Jesus, were frustrated about the guards’ failure to arrest Jesus on the spot. The guards did not arrest him for two possible reasons: It was not yet the time for Jesus to be arrested for execution as he had not consummated his mission yet; and the guards had wondered themselves about a possibility of Jesus to be the Messiah (John 7:46). To this, the leaders, who commissioned the guards to arrest Jesus, rebuked the guard, indicating that their failure to arrest Jesus was attributed to their ignorance of the Law, saying, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed”(John 7:47-49). Yes, the plot to capture and kill Jesus stumbled because of a possibility of Jesus being the Messiah, not only among some people but even among the guards.

Of course, the religious leader’s wickedness stems from their own ignorance about the Messiah, as reflected in the Gospel reading of the 4^th Sunday of Lent (John 9:1-41) and the Gospel reading of Tuesday of the 4^th week of Lent (John 5:1-16). In John 5:16, you can recall how the ignorance of Christ is associated with the murderous wickedness to kill the Messiah.

It was actually Nichodemus, who pointed out how ignorant the leaders, who wanted to kill Jesus, were – how ignorant they were about the Law, of which they were so proud to know, on their own narcissistic accounts, saying, “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?”(John 7:51), figuratively reflecting the Torah wisdom in Deuteronomy 1:16-17.

Yes, there was a leader, like Nichodemus, who did not lose his sight, in spite of the progressively increasing darkness to kill Jesus.

Christ Facing Progressive Wickedness of the World: Scripture Readings for Friday of the 4th Week of Lent (A)

The Scripture readings today, Friday of the 4^th week of Lent (A), Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22; John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30) reminds that the Holy Week, in which Lent ends on Holy Thursday and we commemorate the death of Christ on the Cross on the following day, Good Friday, during the Paschal Triduum. After the next week, the 5^th week of Lent, we will enter the Holy Week to wrap up our Lenten journey. The Scripture readings today reflect death of Christ.

In the first reading, we read:

Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training (Wisdom 2:12).

It is an evil voice of the wicked, who refuse to believe in Christ, expressing their desire to threat and attack Christ, because he is annoying to them. Christ is a nuisance to them because they feel threatened by him for their transgressions.

The wicked in the first reading today in Wisdom 2 are essentially the kind of people like the Pharisees, who called Jesus a sinful man (John 9:16) and,  whom Jesus called blind (John 9:41), as read in the Gospel reading on the 4^th Sunday of Lent (A) (John 9:1-41). They are also the kind of people, who decided to persecute Jesus, because of the healing miracle he made on a Sabbath day (John 5:16), as read in the Gospel reading on Tuesday of the 4^th week of Lent A (John 5:1-16). And, Jesus rebukes their wickedness in the Gospel readings on Wednesday (John 5:17-30) and Thursday (John 5:31-47) of the 4^th week of Lent. In fact, these wicked people are also the ones who desecrated the Temple into a house of market place, to whom Jesus was indignant (John 2:16).

In today’s Gospel reading (John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30), Jesus is back in Jerusalem, dealing with basically the same wicked people. We learned that they already want to persecute Jesus (John 5:16) from the Gospel reading on Tuesday of this week. So, in today’s Gospel reading, they have made up their minds to kill Jesus (John 7:1, 25, 30).

The wicked, who turned the house of God into a market place to fatten themselves in John 2 began to be irritated and threatened by Jesus as he boldly challenged the evil in them, which manifested as their utter ignorance, which Jesus called “blindness” (John 9:41), and Jesus continued to rebuke their defilement in John 5 and 7, leading to their arrest and execution of Jesus, which we will reflect during the Paschal Triduum.

The problem of the evil in the world addressed in today’s first reading from Wisdom 2 was made in reality through the progressive persecution of Jesus, made evident in John 5, manifesting in John 7 on, as we not only read in today’s Gospel reading from John 7 but also in the Johannine Gospel readings for the remaining of Lent.

The verses of Wisdom 2:12-21 describe the wicked people who are eager to kill Jesus. Wisdom 2:22 reminds that it is because they are ignorant of Jesus because they are deaf and blind to God’s counsel through him and the importance of the innocent soul. And to the deafness and blindness, Jesus tells, “You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true”(John 7:28).  But, their reaction to this Christological statement has made them divided: those who begin to believe in Christ (John 7:31) and those who remain eager to kill Jesus by stubbornly remaining deaf and blind to the truth  (John 7:29-30).

Today’s set of readings invite us to reflect:

What in our own lives make us deaf and blind to a truth in Christ and his teaching? What makes it difficult and reluctant for us to accept the truth of Christ and his teaching? How can we resolve this problem by the time we complete our Lenten journey – so that we can stand at the foot of the Cross on Good Friday?

Objectification of God: Objectification of Religion - Sin of Idolatry: A Lesson from the Thursday of the 4th Week of Lent, A

People who are critical of religion may better understand today’s Scripture readings (Exodus 32:7-14; John 5:31-47) better than those who are stiff-necked and blind within their own religions and religious practices. Both the First Reading (Exodus 32:7-14) and the Gospel Reading (John 5:31-47) address a problem that many religious people slip into without even realizing it. And it is figuratively addressed through the stiff-necked people, whom God became angry at in the First Reading and those who “talk about God” but know nothing about God in the Gospel reading. These are a kind of people, who think they know what they are doing with their religions but what they are doing is nothing but reinforcing their own misguided beliefs about religions. While a religion is about a trust-based covenant relationship between an object of one’s belief and oneself, those who slip into this kind of problem are, in essence, acting all about themselves by objectifying the object of the religious belief, such as God.

The First Reading shows that God was very unhappy about the Israelites, who committed idolatry, which is a violation of a set of the commandments in Exodus 20:4-6 and in Leviticus 26:1. Why the Israelites had to drift to this sin of idolatry? It was because they began to lose their faith in God as Moses was on top of Mt. Sinai with God for 40 days, perhaps they began to lose a sense of God’s presence with them.  So they began to do their own things, not even thinking of God. In a way, they made golden calf idols as to kill time as they felt God was distant. They totally forgot God’s promise of His constant presence through Isaac (Genesis 26:24) and Jacob (Genesis 28:15).  And, to Moses, God expressed His anger at the Israelite’s lack of faith resulting in idolatry. In response, Moses pleaded to God for His mercy on them, invoking God’s promise for His providence (cf. Genesis 17:8, 22:17, 26:4), and God withdrew His anger.

In connection to this Exodus narrative on the Israelites’ stiff-necked lack of faith, the Gospel Reading (John 5:31-47) shows Jesus’ frustration with “religious” people who are stubbornly blind of their meaningless religious belief and practice. Though liked to insist that they believe in God, read the Word of God in the Scriptures, and practice the teaching of God, observing His commandments, they were not able to realize that their religious belief and practice found far from God and His troth. Why? Because their reaction to Jesus, who is God, proved that their religious belief and practice were based on the kind of God whom they had objectified to fit into their own limited self-serving cognitive frame. Consequently, this made them blind to God, who is with them, in Jesus. And, it is, in essence, just as stupid as idolatry.

Today’s Scripture readings offer us critical self-examining tools to make sure that our religious belief and practice are genuine – not operating out of our misguided belief and practice of objectified God and the truth. The readings also challenge us to ponder why we have a disposition to objectify God and slip into masturbation-like religious practice, without realizing it.

The bottom line is the quality of our faith. Do we truly believe in God? Or is it just what we think we do?

Yes, Lent is a time of constant critical examination, lasting 40 days and 40 nights – the same length of time that Moses were up in the mountain with God, leaving the Israelites at the foot of the mountain.

Are we drawn more closer to God during these 40 days and nights of Lent? Or are we drifting away from God, feeling God is absent during these 40 days and nights of Lent?

Joyful Feast of the Annunciation: Beginning of the Unfolding Fulfillment of God’s Salvific Will for Us

Today, March 25, marking exactly 9 month before the joyful feast of the Nativity of the Lord, December 25, is the joyful feast of the Annunciation.  On this day, though amidst Lenten season, we celebrate God’s announcement of the birth of His only begotten Son by making Mary, who is the Immaculate Conception, pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit, though she is ever virgin.

As the First Reading for this feast (Isaiah 7:10-14, 8:10 -  vv. 10-14 also read for the 4^th Sunday of Advent on Cycle A in connection to its Gospel Reading: Matthew 1:18-24) suggests that a prophesy for Mary to be pregnant with and to give birth to a son, named Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14, cf. Matthew 1:23) was made more during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah, more than 700 years before the Annunciation. It is also interesting to note that this prophecy of the virgin birth of Immanuel, which means “God with us”, in Isaiah 7:14 was God’s response to Ahaz’ stubborn defiance to God’s intent to strengthen his faith through His sign of God’s presence with him, as to reflect Exodus 3:12 (Isaiah 7:11-14). In spite of God’s message through Isaiah’s prophecy for a sign of the virgin birth of Immanuel to discourage him from forming alliance with Assyria in response to the Syro-Ephraimite War (735-734 BC), Ahaz never listen to God. Instead, he let his unholy alliance with king Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria bring spiritual defilement into Judah. Instead of asking God for His sign, Ahaz listened to pagan king of Assyria.

Nevertheless, the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 began to be carried out with the Annunciation to the Nativity of the Lord, because Mary was obedient to God, though Ahaz was not. However, it took more than 700 years for this prophecy to be fulfilled. Is it because of Ahaz’ stubborn disobedience to God? We do not know. But, thank God, that Mary was not like Ahaz at all and listened to God and obeyed God to let His will be carried out through her to let this prophecy be fulfilled.

Jewish interpretation of Isaiah 7:14 generally denies it as a prophecy of the Blessed Virgin Mary giving birth to the Messiah. Even some non-Catholic Christian interpretation argues that the Hebrew word, “almah”, in Isaiah 7:14 simply means “maiden”, not necessarily “virgin”, as in the Catholic interpretation, this does not refer to Mary and has nothing to do with the Annunciation, described in Luke 1:26-38.  The Catholic interpretation to see Isaiah 7:14 as prophecy for the Annunciation into the Nativity of the Lord (Luke 1:26-38, 2:1-20) also reflect on the Septuagint (LXX) translation of the Hebrew word, “almah” into the Greek word of “parthenos”, which is also used in Luke 1:26, as well as Matthew 1:23. In other words, the Septuagint Greek translated Old Testament sees the “almah” in Isaiah 7:14 with the same regard as both Matthew and Luke describe Mary as the virgin – “parthenos”. This hermeneutic disagreement aside, God had planned to make Mary the Theotokus (bearer of God, mother of God) in the fullness of time, as in the Catechism of the Catholic Church 484 (cf. Galatians 4:4). God’s decision for Mary to serve Him as the Theotokos may be as early as the time of the eviction of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15). This intention of God was figuratively prophesized during the time of King Ahaz (Isaiah 7:14) and finally began to be fulfilled with the Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), as Mary’s engagement to Joseph was the fullness of time for this intent of God to be fulfilled.

When the fulfillment began in the fullness of time, as the Gospel reading (Luke 1:26-38) describes, Mary was, at first,  troubled to be greeted by God’s messenger, one of the archangels, Gabriel, who said, “Ave Maria, gratia plena. Dominus tecum!” This young virgin (parthenos), who was betrothed to Joseph, had no idea what Gabriel meant by the greetings, though “gratia plena”, being full of grace, being God’s favored one, indicates that Mary is the Immaculate Conception. She must have wondered why Gabriel came to greet her as such. Then, Gabriel continued on to announce that Mary is the Theotokos, as she is to give birth to the Son of God, with whom she has become pregnant, and she is to name the Son Jesus (Joshua: which means “God saves” in Hebrew. cf Matthew 1:21). Imagine how Mary’s initial trouble with the greetings was intensified with the announcement!

Mary was not ready to be pregnant. She was not yet ready to assume motherhood at all. She was just engaged to Joseph but not yet had any physical contact with him. Then, all the sudden, the annunciation brought by Angel Gabriel shook her life. And, all this young virgin could do in response was to wonder: “How could it be – how could it happen that I become pregnant with a son to be named Jesus, just because I am God’s favored one, since I am virgin?” Sensing Mary’s internal turmoil, Gabriel gave a bit of explanation for what is going on with Mary is in God’s will and by the power of the Holy Spirit. In addition to this, Gabriel also told Mary that the same power of God also has already made her older relative, Elizabeth, who had been barren, pregnant, six months ahead of Mary. And, he further said that there is nothing impossible with God – nothing impossible as God wills in His time. And His time is the fullness of time, always. Nothing can stop this.

Just as her fiance Joseph was so, reflected in the Gospel reading for his feast on March 19 (Mathew 1:16, 18-21, 24a), Mary was righteous, and her righteousness made her obedient. As in the case with Joseph, what else could she do, whether it is something she expected or unexpected – whether she likes it or not – if it was God’s will?  She just accepts the whole thing though she did not fully understand everything, just as Joseph did. So, she decided to accept her unexpected pregnancy and serve as God’s handmaid at His disposition, as Joseph received her though he once thought of divorcing her secretly because of her premarital pregnancy.

Unlike King Ahaz, Mary fully complied God’s will and let it be done through her obedient service to Him as His handmaid. Her obedience to God’s will let God’s will in Genesis 3:15 and plan in Isaiah 7:14 be fulfilled.

Now, the Second Reading (Hebrews 10:4-10) gives insights behind the Annunciation from a Christological angle, especially in terms of Gabriel telling Mary to name the son she has become pregnant with “Jesus”, which means God saves.

Neither the Law nor sacrifices can save us, as none of these can take away our sins. The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews cites Psalm 40:6-8 (Hebrews 10:5-7), explains why Christ came to this world – why Mary became pregnant with Jesus, who is Christ, regardless of her readiness or will.

Christ, the Son said that he came to do his Father’s will (John 6:38) and it is to set aside the old sacrifice rituals required by the Law by making the perfect sacrifice once for all with himself (Hebrew 10:9). By this we can be made holy, as our sins are taken away (Hebrew 10:10). This is a salvific and Christological implication of the Annunciation, which was the beginning of the unfolding fulfillment of Genesis 3:15, as well as Isaiah 7:14.

Though there was a wicked king, like Ahaz, whose refusal to comply God brought defilement in the past, such sinfulness has never stopped God’s will from being fulfilled and carried out. It is because there have been faithful and obedient servants of God, like Mary and her husband, Joseph. And, they are the ones to collaborated God to bring forth His only begotten Son to redeem us, to reverse the evolving effects of sin that Satan put with defiling Adam and Eve.

Ave Maria, gratia plena,

Dominus tecum

Benedicta tu in mulieribus,

et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,

ora pro nobis peccatoribus,

nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

Toward the New Jerusalem – New Life: God’s Continual Restoration Works and Their Signs – Monday of the 4th Week of Lent (Cycle A)

As our Lenten journey is nearing its end and the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord is coming in sight, the Scripture readings bring this anticipatory joy, juxtaposing God's continual works of renewal and the Resurrection, with eschatological hope,  as we are now on the 4th week of Lent.

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The Scripture readings for Monday of the 4^th Week of Lent on Cycle A (Isaiah 65:17-21; John 4:43-45) are about God’s love to bring fresh renewals to His creations, including us, leading all the way until the end of time. The first reading (Isaiah 65:17-21) reflects God’s post-exilic promise of His new creation, and this promise is spelled all the way into the last chapter of the Book of Isaiah, Isaiah 66. In fact, the Antiphon for the 4^th Sunday of Lent (also known as Laetare Sunday) is drawn from Isaiah 66:10-11 to call to anticipate God’s renewal of Jerusalem, inviting to rejoice over this new creation of Jerusalem.

In the First Reading today, we read:

There shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; For I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight; I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people (Isaiah 65:18-19).

The above passage is echoed in the Antiphon for Mass yesterday, the 4^th Sunday of Lent:

Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all who were in mourning; exalt and be satisfied at her consoling breast (Isaiah 66:10-11).

Thus, the 4^th Sunday of Lent (Domingo IV de Quaresma) is know as Laetare Sunday (Domingo Laetare).

God’s new creation of Jerusalem, renewal of Jerusalem, in the first reading (Isaiah 65:17-21) and the rest of the Book of Isaiah, Isaiah 65:22-Isaih 66:23, is not only about the post-exilic hopeful restoration of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40-48) but ultimately about the eschatological establishment of the New Jerusalem upon the deconstruction of the world, envisioned in Revelation 21.

Reading about God’s renewal of Jerusalem, His creation of new Jerusalem, upon cleansing factors that may corrupt Jerusalem, on the first two days of the 4^th week of Lent is to remind that our Lenten journey of spiritual renewal is nearing its end to rejoice the Resurrection of the Lord, which is a powerful symbol of God’s new creation, upon witnessing how the Lord died with what can corrupt Jerusalem. Here, Jerusalem is not necessarily the geographical Jerusalem but us collectively as the Church. Thus, Christ the Lord during the Paschal Triduum, between the Lenten season and the Paschal season, is the climax of the renewal process of us, Jerusalem, the Church, through the body of Christ the Lord. And this renewal process goes through Christ’s death to bring a new better life with the Resurrection.  In this sense, the Resurrection of Christ symbolizes the realization of the New Jerusalem, prophetically reflected in Isaiah 65-66, with the eschatological implication in Revelation 21.

What corresponds to today’s first reading on the joy of God’s renewal of Jerusalem (Isaiah 65:17-21) is the joy in Jesus’ restoration of a dying life of a royal official’s son in the Gospel reading (John 4:43-54). It is also known as the second sign in the seven signs of Jesus in John’s Gospel.  This second sign that Jesus made in Cana, Galilee, took place when Jesus returned from Jerusalem.

After making his first sign in Cana, turning water into the choicest wine at a wedding reception (John 2:1-12), Jesus want up to Jerusalem for Passover (John 2:13).  However, what he found in Jerusalem was the Temple corruption, and he had to cleanse the house of God for Passover (John 2:14-25). In fact, Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple in John 2:14-25 is an early sign for God’s promise for renewal of Jerusalem and construction of the New Jerusalem addressed in Isaiah 65-66, further into Revelation 21, in addition to what will come upon Lent and Paschal Triduum, the Resurrection of the Lord, given Jesus’ promise of rebuilding the New Temple in John 2:19.

While Jesus was in Jerusalem, he met Nicodemus and enlightened this Gentile man (John 3:1-21). In fact, a part of this narrative is read for the 4^th Sunday of Lent on Cycle B (John 3:14-21). Then, Jesus stepped outside of Jerusalem and went to where John the Baptist was still baptizing (John 3:22-36). Then, Jesus had to return to Galilee from Judea as the Pharisees thought Jesus was baptizing more people than John the Baptist, though Jesus never baptized anyone (John 4:1-3). On his way back to Galilee, Jesus chose to go through Samaria, though it was a taboo, and there, he met a woman by the Jacob’s well, reaching out to her deeply wounded soul and renewed her life (John 4:4-42), as read for the 3^rd Sunday of Lent on Cycle A.

 The today’s Gospel reading (John 4:43-54) reminds that Jesus continued to renew a life of someone in need by bringing healing,  not only on his way back to Galilee from Jerusalem but also upon arriving in Galilee. So, he healed the endangered life of a son of a royal official in Cana, Galilee, restoring his life. Jesus’ continuing work of restoring diseased and endangered lives by healing is also a reflection of God’s promise for restoring Jerusalem plagued with defilements into the New Jerusalem, prophesized in Isaiah 65-66 and its consummation eschatologically envisioned in Revelation 21. And, the Resurrection of Christ, upon the completion of our Lenten journey, following the Paschal Triduum, makes a powerfully assuring sign of this promise of God, for which we rejoice.

Just as the arrival of spring will bring a new life in nature, God brings a new life and renew lives through Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17), and this renewal process that God makes with His love is beautiful and leads to eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

Laetare Sunday amidst of Covid-19 Virus Pandemic Trials

 Felix Domingo Laetare! Happy Laetare Sunday! Let us rejoice!

Before the beginning of Laetare Sunday Mass, we sing this antiphon in reflection of Isaiah 66:10-11:

Laetare, Ierusalem , et conventum facite, omnes  qui diligitis eam; gaudete cum laetitia , qui in tristitia fuistis , ut exultetis , et satiemini ab uberibus consolationis vestrae.

Laetatus sum in his, quae dicta sunt mihi: in domum Domini ibimus. Gloria Patri.

Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult, and be filled from the breasts of your consolation.

I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: we shall go into the house of the Lord. Glory be to the Father.

 Some may say, rejoice, when covid-19 virus pandemic is sweeping the world? Are you crazy? The virus is spreading like a wild wife and more people are falling sick and dying. How dare can you rejoice amid of crisis?

It is true. We are in a very troubled time. But it does not mean we should refrain from rejoicing. Even amidst a crisis, Christians can nevertheless rejoice for a great object of our hope.  As we are already on the latter half of this year’s Lenten journey, our hearts are looking forward to what is beyond the end horizon of Lent, and it is Resurrection of the Lord. This anticipatory joy beyond Lent becomes evident as we are on the 4^th Sunday of Lent, out of 6 Lenten Sundays (6^th Sunday – Palm (Passion) Sunday) , between Ash Wednesday and Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday), as we are nearing to end our Lenten journey and to be greeted by the risen Lord.

We cannot let the current pandemic ruin our anticipatory joy beyond Lent and upon Resurrection, while we remain vigilant in protecting not only ourselves but also one another by keeping social distance and refraining from non-essential outing. We know that we will rise to the occasion through this difficult time of the pandemic, as long as we do not lose our hope. Yes, hope. And to keep our hope, we need to see beyond the horizon of this difficult time, so that we will not lose our sight in the darkness of fear. The below passage from Peter’s epistle echo the spirit of Laetare Sunday amidst the current covid-19 virus pandemic trial:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith, to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.  In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Although you have not seen him you love him; even though you do not see him now yet believe in him, you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of [your] faith, the salvation of your souls.    1 Peter 1:3-9

Let us endure this difficult time with the living hope (1 Peter 1:3), arising with the risen Christ beyond the end horizon of this Lent! And, let us rejoice in our anticipation for Resurrection, which is fast-approaching, as we continue to refine our faith with the rest of Lenten trials.

Ultimately and eschatologically, it is the victorious return of Christ, the King of the Universe, that we rejoice in anticipation. And the Laetare Sunday antiphon reflects this eschatological Christian hope, juxtaposing to Resurrection after Lent. 

Upon parousia, God’s promise in Isaiah 66 will be consummated as envisioned in Revelations 21. Before this, the Book of Revelation reminds that we must endure trials and tribulations as Satan will wage his war against us with ever greater scales, before our victory. Our commander in chief, Christ, assures salvation and victory as long as we remain with him. So, our steadfast faith in Christ is the bottom line of our sustenance, leading to our triumph. The way we handle ourselves amidst the current pandemic crisis for the remaining of this Lenten season also follow this strategy in the Book of Revelation.

Our steadfast faith will not let the current covid-19 virus threat darken our vision and the fear of the virus will not blind our eyes of faith. We are children of the light and, indeed, light of the world (Ephesians 5:8; cf Matthew 5:14), as Paul has declared. As long as we are with Christ, who is the light (John 8:12; 9:5; 12:46; 1 John 1:4) and life (John 1:4; cf John 6:35), we will conquer the darkness that the epidemic may bring. 

A main theme for Laetare Sunday is light, in juxtaposition to life! It is the light that enables us to see the truth. It is the light to fight and conquer the darkness of sin and death!  God created light first in His creation of the heavens and the earth, spreading the light (Genesis 1:2). And it is the light that prevails in the end (Revelation 21:23-26).

As we keep our faith in Christ, the darkness of sins of the world, the darkness of the pandemic threat, cannot conquer the light, which is also the life that Christ shares with us! So, let us rejoice for Christ’s victory – his victory over death: Resurrection and his victory over Satan at the end of time! We are destined to la victoriam de lux et vita!