Reflection on Today’s Readings, Monday of 5th Week of Lent, April 4th, 2022
Texts: Daniel 13: 1-9.1 5-17.19-30.33-62; Psalm 23 :1-6; John 8:12-20
In today’s gospel reading there are two titles of Jesus Christ that come to light: He is the light and the judge. He affirmed to the people that He was the light of the world and that whoever followed would have the light of life. This means if we want to make the best out of life, we are to follow Jesus Christ, for in Him we have the light of life; He shows us the way to go; in Him we have the meaning of life. Any life lived outside Jesus Christ has no meaning and true purpose. Being light of the world, the world owe Him its meaning and purpose.
The other title of Jesus is the judge. The Pharisees in today’s gospel reading, challenged the affirmation of Jesus Christ about Himself that He was the Light. They said His testimony was not true because it came from Himself. Jesus told them that His testimony about Himself was true. Only God has this quality, no any other being has the quality. This is clear in the letter to the Hebrews: “When God made a promise to Abraham, because he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, ....... Human beings, of course, swear by someone greater than themselves, and an oath given as confirmation puts an end to all dispute” (6:13,16). Hence, saying that His judgement about Himself is true, He affirms His equality with God. This tells us that whatever He says about us is true. He is the truth, so whatever He says is true. This means that Jesus Christ deserves our belief in Him; we are to trust His words and believe Him.
Jesus Christ will never deceive us. Unlike the judges in today’s first reading, He will not yield to the temptation of beauty or pleasure to pervert judgement. The judges of today’s first reading perverted judgement when their evil scheme failed. The judges judge according to the flesh. Jesus Christ does not judge according to the flesh but according to what He hears from the Father. In His words: “You judge according to the flesh, I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgement is true, for it is not I alone that judge, but I and he who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true; I bear witness to myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness to me.” The reading reminds us that there are so many souls that have died because of perversion of judgement by judges. We should avoid judging according to the flesh, we should always align ourself with God. Daniel, in the first reading, stood up for Susannah. We are told that Daniel was moved by holy spirit. This tells us that we are to allow the spirit of God to take the lead in our lives, to move us and inspire our actions and words. We are called today to stand up for the voiceless. There are many innocent souls that are being killed in our world as result of perversion of judgement. Some who are affected by perversion of judgement are still in prison.
O God, by whose wondrous grace we are enriched with every blessing, grant us so to pass from former ways to newness of life, that we may be made ready for the glory of the heavenly Kingdom. Amen (Collect).
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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