John1038

Friday, 26th March 20105th WeekJohn 10:31-38
The Jews fetched stones to stone Jesus, so he said to them, ‘I have shown you many good works from my Father; for which of these are you stoning me?’ The Jews answered him, ‘We are stoning you, not for doing a good work, but for blasphemy; though you are only a man, you claim to be God.’ Jesus answered: ‘Is it not written in your Law: I said, you are gods? So it uses the word ‘gods’ of those people to whom the word of God was addressed - and scripture cannot be set aside. Yet to someone whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world you say, “You are blaspheming” because I said, “I am Son of God.” If I am not doing my Father's work, there is no need to believe me; but if I am doing it, then even if you refuse to believe in me, at least believe in the work I do; then you will know for certain that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’

We have never rejected the words of the true prophets. Wehave always respected John, who was the last prophet» replies aJudaean angrily, and his companions echo him.

«He died in time not to be hated and persecuted also by you. If hewere still alive, his "it is against the Law" uttered for an incestwould be repeated also to you as you commit spiritual adultery byfornicating with Satan against God. And you would kill him asyou intend to kill Me.»

The Judaeans become angrily uproarious and are ready to strikeas they are tired feigning to be meek.

But Jesus is not worried. He raises His voice to dominate thetumult and He shouts: «And you have asked Me who I am,hypocrites? You said that you wanted to know to be certain? Andnow you say that John was the last prophet? And twice you con-demn yourselves for lying. Once because you say that you havenever rejected the words of the true prophets, and then because, bysaying that John is the last prophet and that you believe the trueprophets, you deny that I also am a prophet, at least a prophet, anda true one. Lying lips! Deceitful hearts! Yes, I solemnly tell you,here in the house of My Father, that I am more than a Prophet. Ihave what My Father gave Me. What My Father gave Me is moreprecious than everything and everybody, because it is somethingon which the will and power of men cannot lay their rapacioushands. I have what God gave Me and although it is in Me, it is stillGod, and no one can snatch it from the hands of My Father or fromMe, because it is the same Divine Nature. My Father and I are One.»

«Ah! How horrible! Blasphemy! Anathema!!» The howling of theJudaeans resounds in the Temple, and once again the stones usedby the money-changers and vendors of animals to hold theirenclosures fast, supply those who are looking for suitable weaponsto strike.

But Jesus rises with His arms folded on His chest. He has climbedon a stone bench to be taller and more visible and He thusdominates the crowds with His sapphire eyes. He dominates anddarts piercing glances at them. He is so solemn that He paralysethem. Instead of throwing the stones, they drop them or hold themin their hands, no longer daring to throw them at Him. Also theirshouting subsides in a strange bewilderment. It is really Godflashing in His Christ. And when God flashes thus, even the mostarrogant man becomes mean and frightened. I wonder whatmystery is concealed in the fact that the Judaeans could be so cruelon Good Friday. What mystery there was in the fact that the Christlacked that power of domination on that day. It was really thehour of Darkness, the hour of Satan, and they were the only oneswho reigned... The Divinity, the Paternity of God had abandonedthe Christ, Who was nothing but the Victim...

Jesus remains thus for a few moments. He then resumes speak-ing to that corrupt and pusillanimous rabble that has lost all ar-rogance seeing only a divine flash. «Well? What do you want to do?You asked Me who I was. I told you. You became furious. I remindedyou of what I have done, I have shown you and reminded you ofmany good deeds coming from My Father and accomplished withthe power given to Me by My Father. For which of those deeds areyou going to stone Me? Because I taught justice? Because I broughtthe Gospel to men? Because I came to invite you to the Kingdom ofGod? Because I cured your sick people, making the blind see, theparalytic walk, the dumb speak, because I freed those who werepossessed, I raised the dead, I assisted the poor, I forgave sinners, Iloved everybody, also those who hate Me, you and those who sentyou? So, for which of these deeds do you want to stone Me?»

«It is not because of the good actions You have done, that wewant to stone You, but because of Your blasphemy, because You,Who are a man, are making Yourself God.»

«Is it not written in your Law: "I said: you are gods, and childrenof the Most High"? Now if God called "gods" those to whom Hespoke, giving an order: to live so that the likeness and image ofGod existing in man may appear clearly, and man may not be ademon or a brute; if men are called "gods" in the Scriptures, all in-spired by God, whereby they cannot be modified or cancelled ac-cording to the will and interest of man; why do you say to Me that Iblaspheme, I Whom the Father consecrated and sent to the world,because I say: "I am the Son of God"? If I did not work the deeds ofMy Father, you would be right in not believing Me. But I do them.And you do not want to believe Me. Believe at least those deeds, sothat you may know and acknowledge that the Father is in Me andthat I am in the Father.»

^The storm of shouts and violence begins all over again and islouder than previously. From one of the terraces of the Temple, onwhich priests, scribes and Pharisees were certainly concealed tolisten, many voices shout: «Get hold of that blasphemer. His sin isnow a public one. We have all heard Him. Death to the blasphemerWho proclaims Himself God! Punish Him as you punished the sonof Shelomith of Dibri. Take Him out of town and stone Him! It isour right! It is written: "He who blasphemes must die".»