Reflection on Today’s Readings, 4th Week of Lent, Friday 1st April, 2022
Texts: Wisdom 2:1a, 12-22; Psalm 34: 17-18-21.23; John 7:1-2.10.25-30
Today’s firs reading is meant to help us reflect on the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the just one and only innocent one; He was like us in everything except in sin. While no man knows no sin, Jesus knew no sin. He who knew no sin suffered for the sin of sinners, the sin of the world. The reading looked forward to Jesus Christ. He suffered for your sin, He suffered for my sin too. He was nailed to the cross because He reproached us for our sins, because His life was unlike ours, His ways were strange, He was so blameless and just, He was a reproof of our evil thoughts, His sight we could not bear. He was condemned to death because He professed to have the knowledge of God and called God His Father and end of the just happy. He was crucified simply because He was good. This tells us that being good has its ups and downs. The choice to be good is a choice to stand against the forces of evil and to be closer to God. Today’s gospel reading tells us that the persecution of our Lord Jesus Christ is on top gear; His persecutors are more serious than before. The persecution of Jesus Christ has entered public domain.
The first reading reveals to us what we stand against immediately we decide to follow Jesus. We offer ourselves to be tempted, persecuted, opposed. Though those are the things we do not want to experience, it is the hard truth we must accept to attain our goal. Jesus says, “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:11-12).
Why are the just persecuted? It is because they oppose wicked actions, they reproach sinners for their sins and criminal for their crimes. They are persecuted because their life is unlike that of others, their ways are strange, they are reproof of evil thoughts, their sight a burden to the wicked and sinners. The just are persecuted because they profess the knowledge of God, call Him their Father and their end happy. It is because of this evil day that Jesus teaches us to pray thus: “And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one” (Matt. 6:13). He prays for us thus: “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one” (John 17: 14-15). He is aware of our troubles and He is praying for us. Let us trust in His prayer. Jesus lets us know in the prayer that we are persecuted because we do not belong to the world. Another reason why they persecute us, who believe in the Son, is because they do not know the Father. Jesus affirms it, “I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when those who kill you will think by doing so they are offering worship to God. And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me” (John 16: 1-3).
O God, who have prepared fitting helps for us in our weakness, grant, we pray, that we may receive their healing effects with joy and reflect them in a holy way of life. Amen
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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