(Optional Memorial for Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop and Doctor of
the Church)
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| “The Attempt to Stone Christ” by Michael Pacher 1479-81 |
During the Fifth Week of Lent (especially in cycles B
and C when the Gospel of Lazarus is not read on the Fifth Sunday of Lent) optional Mass
Texts are offered.
Reading 1: Jeremiah
20:10-13
I hear the whisperings of
many:
"Terror on every side!
Denounce! let us denounce
him!"
All those who were my friends
are on the watch for any misstep
of mine.
"Perhaps he will be
trapped; then we can prevail,
and take our vengeance on
him."
But the LORD is with me, like
a mighty champion:
my persecutors will stumble,
they will not triumph.
In their failure they will be
put to utter shame,ac
to lasting, unforgettable
confusion.
O LORD of hosts, you who test
the just,
who probe mind and heart,
Let me witness the vengeance
you take on them,
for to you I have entrusted
my cause.
Sing to the LORD,
praise the LORD,
For he has rescued the life
of the poor
from the power of the wicked!
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Commentary on Jer 20:10-13
Jeremiah is near despair as the
plots of his family and friends are fomented against him. We can clearly hear
the fear in his voice (“All those who were my friends are on the watch for
any misstep of mine”). Yet, in spite of his dire situation, he trusts that
God will support him. Indeed, he is hoping that God will not only save him but
will punish those who plot against him.
This is a typical Old Testament understanding of the God of
Justice, who visits his wrath on the enemies of the faithful. We see also an
interesting observation about the path of the faithful: “O Lord of hosts,
you who test the just, who probe mind and heart,” inferring that the path
of faithfulness is always difficult.
CCC: Jer
20:7-18 2584
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7
R. (see 7) In my distress I called upon the Lord, and
he heard my voice.
I love you, O LORD, my
strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress,
my deliverer.
R. In my distress I called
upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I
exclaim,
and I am safe from my
enemies.
R. In my distress I called
upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
The breakers of death surged
round about me,
the destroying floods
overwhelmed me;
The cords of the nether world
enmeshed me,
the snares of death overtook
me.
R. In my distress I called
upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
In my distress I called upon
the LORD
and cried out to my God;
From his temple he heard my
voice,
and my cry to him reached his
ears.
R. In my distress I called
upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.
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Commentary on Ps 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7
Psalm 18 is a
hymn of thanksgiving for God’s salvation.
While in its full form it is sung in thanks to God for victory following
a physical battle, in these strophes we see thanks is given for heavenly aid in
difficult situations.
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Gospel: John
10:31-42
The Jews picked up rocks to
stone Jesus.
Jesus answered them, "I
have shown you many good works from my Father.
For which of these are you
trying to stone me?"
The Jews answered him,
"We are not stoning you
for a good work but for blasphemy.
You, a man, are making
yourself God."
Jesus answered them,
"Is it not written in
your law, 'I said, You are gods"'?
If it calls them gods to whom
the word of God came,
and Scripture cannot be set
aside,
can you say that the one
whom the Father has
consecrated and sent into the world
blasphemes because I said, 'I
am the Son of God'?
If I do not perform my
Father's works, do not believe me;
but if I perform them, even
if you do not believe me,
believe the works, so that
you may realize and understand
that the Father is in me and
I am in the Father."
Then they tried again to
arrest him;
but he escaped from their
power.
He went back across the Jordan
to the place where John first
baptized, and there he remained.
Many came to him and said,
"John performed no sign,
but everything John said
about this man was true."
And many there began to
believe in him.
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Commentary on Jn 10:31-42
Jesus is in the Temple at Jerusalem, once again on a festival day (probably the Feast of the Dedication or Festival of Lights). He has just finished his discourse on the Good Shepherd and a number of those present are pressing him to declare that he is the Messiah. Immediately preceding this reading, he answered them, “The Father and I are one.” Now his enemies pick up stones ready to punish him for this blasphemy.
Instead of leaving immediately, Jesus tells them to look at his
works, the signs he has performed, and judge if he is not doing the Father’s
work. When they tell him it is not his works they challenge but his assertion
that he is God, Jesus tells them: “Is it not written in your law, 'I said, You
are gods'?” This is a reference to the judges of Israel who, since they
exercised the divine prerogative to judge (Deuteronomy 1:17), were
called "gods"; cf Exodus 21:6, in addition
to Psalm 82:6 from which the quotation comes.
Jesus continues to point at his salvific actions, but the agents
of the Sanhedrin do not accept this argument, although many in the crowd do
since we hear: “…they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped their power.”
This would seem to imply that they feared intervention from the crowd. Jesus
leaves followed by “many” and continues to teach, across the Jordan.
CCC: Jn 10:31-38 548; Jn
10:31 574; Jn
10:33 574, 589, 594;
Jn 10:36-38 591; Jn
10:36 437, 444, 1562;
Jn 10:37-38 582; Jn
10:38 548
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Reflection:
At the very beginning of St. Paul’s rendition of the Kenotic Hymn in Philippians 2: 5-11 he says: “Have among yourselves the
same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus.” This attitude is very clearly presented in
the Gospel of St. John, as Jesus is confronted in the Temple by those who want
him killed. It contrasts very nicely
with the Prophet Jeremiah, who is in similar circumstances depicted in the
first reading.
Jeremiah is being persecuted. His
family and friends have turned against him and he fears for his life. What does he do? As the faith-filled prophet he is, he turns
to God with confidence that he will be vindicated. He is sure that his enemies
will not succeed and that they themselves will feel the punishment of God. The prophet even longs to see the punishment
God will visit upon those who plot against him (“Let me witness the vengeance you take on
them”).
We contrast this attitude
with the attitude of Christ that we, as his followers, are enjoined to
assume. Jesus has come to Jerusalem, to
the Temple, and there is confronting the Jewish Leadership. These leaders are
tasked with remaining faithful to the Law and Prophets, waiting for the Messiah
to come as promised. It is the Messiah who will lead them to the peace and
salvation promised by God. Jesus is
being urged by those who have seen the signs and who are longing for the
salvation of God, to come out and announce that he is this long awaited
Messiah. But, recognizing that this
expectation is misplaced, that what they hope for is born of human desire, not
the divine plan he has come to fulfill, he defers. Instead he takes a much more dangerous path.
He tells them of his divine origin.
Immediately, he has placed
himself in a much more dangerous position than the one in which Jeremiah had
been. This is where we see the attitude of Christ. He does not flee, nor does he call upon the
Father to punish the unbelieving people who call themselves Priests of
God. He tries to open their eyes so that
they can see that he is indeed the Son of God.
“Believe the works,” he begs
them, not to save himself, but to save those who fail to see. Indeed, the attitude of Christ is love. He expresses his love through his invitation,
even in the face of their hatred.
Alas the time of fulfillment
has not yet come and he leaves, going to where it all began, where St. John the
Baptist was baptizing in the Jordan
Pax
[2]
The picture is from St. Wolfgang Altarpiece: “The Attempt to Stone Christ” by
Michael Pacher 1479-81
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and
is for private use only.
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