Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
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April 3, 2020Today’s Gospel is continued from yesterday, when the Jews were trying to stone Jesus for using the title, “I AM.” They did not like that He was identifying Himself as one with God the Father or as the Son of God.
Jesus question of why do you want to stone me, is supported in defense by His challenging them to look at His works. Jesus worked miracles, He taught in ways that no one else ever taught, which amazed many, and he reached out to sinners in love.
They reply that they are not stoning Him for works, but for making Himself God. Jesus’ next comment is amazing, like many of His comments. He grabs their attention as well as again challenges them with Scripture. Jesus says, doesn’t Scripture call you gods?
Psalm 82:6 refers to us as gods with a small ‘g’ referring to us being the crown of creation. We are the ultimate of God’s creation, we humans as it says in Genesis, are created in the image and likeness of God. Jesus is then asking that if Scripture says it about all people, why is it so wrong for me to say that about myself? I am the Son of God (in a specific way), but actually according to Scripture, we all are.
Then he says in summary, my works are not for you to believe in me, but for you to know the Father and believe in Him. I don’t care if you believe in me but believe in the Father who sent me. Don’t believe in me if you don’t want to but look at the reality of the works and believe in them, so that you understand the father.
The Message today is for us to ask, as gods, as sons and daughters of the Father,
Are we doing the works for others to know God the Father? We should not worry about what people think or feel about us. We should be concerned for them to come to know God because of us. Some people will ridicule us for the things we do or say. Some will see us, meditate on our words and actions, and come to know God if we truly live as the god (the child of God) in which we bear the image.
All of our actions must point to being this child of God and bearing His image. None of our actions or words should lend to pride or arrogance or selfishness but only to help others to know the Father, and in our case, in the New Testament times, to know Jesus.
Some examples on how to accomplish this are: to not enter into gossip, but build up others’ dignity; to not judge a person, judge the action but help the person know God and His Love and Forgiveness; to not judge someone’s state in life but reach out in love; to pray together with family; to not be ashamed to say Jesus’ name or pray in public when needed, especially when people come to you with a problem.
When we live as the god that Scriptures names us, we truly live as His child, and build His Kingdom.
