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| “The Infant Jesus Distributing Bread to Pilgrims” by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 1678 |
Commentary:
During the Fourth Week of Lent (especially in cycles B and C when the Gospel of the man born blind is not read on the Fourth Sunday of Lent) optional Mass Texts are offered.
Reading I: Exodus 32:7-14
Commentary on Ex 32:7-14
“Yahweh informs Moses of the people's sin; these verses must originate from a source other than that of v.18, where Moses appears ignorant of what is happening in the camp. Yahweh has divorced himself from this sinful people, for he refers to them as "your people." He intends to destroy the wicked and form a new nation. Moses now assumes the role of mediator and appeals to God's honor for his own name before the pagan nations as a motive to prevent the destruction of his people. As a second motive, Moses recalls the promises accorded to Abraham. We note, however, the subsequent conflicting elements of the punishments invoked by Moses (Exodus 32:20; 25-29) and the testimony of Yahweh (Exodus 32:34).”[4]
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 106:19-20, 21-22, 23
R. (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Commentary on Ps 106:19-20, 21-22, 23
Psalm 106 is a national lament remembering the events from Exodus 32:7-14, where the Jews brought out of Egypt by Moses fell into idol worship, even as he received the Law on Mt. Horeb. The psalmist reminds the people that Moses interceded and turned away God’s wrath.
CCC: Ps 106:23 2577
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Gospel: John 5:31-47
Commentary on Jn 5:31-47
Jesus continues his discourse as his revelation continues. He now focuses on testimony other than his own to demonstrate that he is the Son of God. He starts with John the Baptist and then moves to the works he has performed in the Father’s name, indicating that those actions give testimony that he is from God. Jesus finally points to Holy Scripture and tells the Jews that even scripture testifies to his identity.
In the final section of this passage, Jesus chastises the Jews for their lack of belief in him. He points out that he did not come seeking praise or glory for his own sake (“I do not accept human praise”). He goes on to tell them they do not see the truth but will believe a lie if it conforms to what they believe the truth should be (“…you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him”).
The logic of the Lord’s words in the final verses crashes down on them. If they reject Jesus in favor of the glory that comes from false prophets, then he does not need to condemn them, they are self-condemned. He tells them that if they believed Moses (the author of revelation in the Old Testament) they would believe in him (Jesus) and are now condemned by Moses as well, because by rejecting Jesus, they have disbelieved in the word of Moses.
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Homily:
Jesus, in throwing the words of Moses into the face of the Hebrews who would not accept him as the Messiah, also challenges each of us. While we profess our faith in him as avowed Christians, by his words and example he asks us if we truly believe he is our Savior. He says: “The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me.” We must ask ourselves: do our works testify that we are sent by Christ?
Through our Lenten discipline of fasting, prayer, and alms-giving it should be clear to those we meet that we are practicing Christians. But we must ask ourselves: do we try to hide that fact? Are we a little embarrassed to show our faith to the neighbor across the street or the co-worker in the next cube? Do we clearly work as Christ would if he were employed in our jobs, or given the same tasks to fulfill?
Jesus had to work very hard to change the minds of the Jews. They thought of God the Father as the punisher who had killed off an entire generation wandering in the desert. They thought of him as a harsh judge, allowing innocent people to be deformed and humiliated because of the sins of their ancestors. Jesus works to change that image through his own sacrifice. He is the love of the Father personified.
If we accept this new image of God, given to us in Christ’s revelation, we must act in ways that demonstrate this belief. We cannot hide Christ’s love under a basket or shrink away from opportunities to show others who we believe in. This is the great challenge the Lord throws down once more in scripture. We are called to testify to the Father and Son through what we do, not just what we say in the darkness of our evening prayers.
Let that be our pledge. Let us testify to the world through our actions that we truly believe that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Pax
[2] The picture is “The Infant Jesus Distributing Bread to Pilgrims” by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, 1678
[4] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc.© 1968, 3:90, pp. 65
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