& Saint Toribio de Mogrovejo, Bishop
Biographical Information about St. Toribio de Mogrovejo
Readings for Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Wis 2:1a, 12-22
In this passage from Wisdom we see scripture usually associated with the Passion of the Lord. It draws heavily on imagery from the “suffering servant” in Isaiah (Is 52-66 ff). The motives and feelings of those who oppose God are laid bare in clear language.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
Psalm 34 is generally a song of thanksgiving; however, this selection is more from the wisdom tradition supporting the first reading. We hear the fruits of the evildoers whose motives were made clear above and how the Lord supports the just man.
Gospel Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
Jesus leaves Galilee for the last time and goes down to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish feast of Tabernacles. He goes, knowing there is a plot to kill him. The suggestion in v. 10 is that he did not come with the fanfare that would have normally been associated with a prominent teacher or prophet. Still, he is recognized by his teachings in the temple area by people who know of him and the view of the Sanhedrin about him. There is an ironic statement by St. John; “Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?”
Jesus challenges their understanding that the Christ (Messiah) would reveal himself “suddenly and unmistakably, and that prior to this manifestation he would be completely hidden”[3] The Lord proclaims himself to be the one and says further that they know what he is talking about.
The fact that they cannot arrest him testifies to the fact that the crowd at least was divided on his identity. The authorities would not have wanted to stir up controversy in the middle of the celebration of a major feast.
Reflection:
We can't help but feel the Lord's pain as we read the Gospel for Friday. He knows this is the beginning of the end of his ministry and he sees the fear and anger he has inspired in the leaders of the people he came to lead into the light. He hears the people murmuring and discounting all the miracles, they are saying he is no one special. He would have seen their minds as clearly as if he were reading the first reading from Wisdom.
We can hear the frustration in his voice as he tells them:
"You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."
Biographical Information about St. Toribio de Mogrovejo
Readings for Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible at Universalis
Commentary:
Reading 1 Wis 2:1a, 12-22
In this passage from Wisdom we see scripture usually associated with the Passion of the Lord. It draws heavily on imagery from the “suffering servant” in Isaiah (Is 52-66 ff). The motives and feelings of those who oppose God are laid bare in clear language.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:17-18, 19-20, 21 and 23
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
Psalm 34 is generally a song of thanksgiving; however, this selection is more from the wisdom tradition supporting the first reading. We hear the fruits of the evildoers whose motives were made clear above and how the Lord supports the just man.
Gospel Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30
Jesus leaves Galilee for the last time and goes down to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish feast of Tabernacles. He goes, knowing there is a plot to kill him. The suggestion in v. 10 is that he did not come with the fanfare that would have normally been associated with a prominent teacher or prophet. Still, he is recognized by his teachings in the temple area by people who know of him and the view of the Sanhedrin about him. There is an ironic statement by St. John; “Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?”
Jesus challenges their understanding that the Christ (Messiah) would reveal himself “suddenly and unmistakably, and that prior to this manifestation he would be completely hidden”[3] The Lord proclaims himself to be the one and says further that they know what he is talking about.
The fact that they cannot arrest him testifies to the fact that the crowd at least was divided on his identity. The authorities would not have wanted to stir up controversy in the middle of the celebration of a major feast.
Reflection:
We can't help but feel the Lord's pain as we read the Gospel for Friday. He knows this is the beginning of the end of his ministry and he sees the fear and anger he has inspired in the leaders of the people he came to lead into the light. He hears the people murmuring and discounting all the miracles, they are saying he is no one special. He would have seen their minds as clearly as if he were reading the first reading from Wisdom.
We can hear the frustration in his voice as he tells them:
"You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."
We cannot think of anything more depressing for the Son of God than to have traveled about teaching and healing for three years only to come to the end of his time among us to find such skepticism and out right hatred from the people he loves.
This feeling of sorrow ultimately leads us to the passion of Christ in the Stations of the Cross. The feeling here is leading us there.
If we were there, what would we have said or done? We hope we would have stood with the Lord and shouted down the skeptics and the hypocrites who were embarrassed by the purity of spirit of the Son of God whom the persecuted to his death (and their own). We hope we would be able to stand with him and not run away as his closest friends did when he was arrested. We hope we would step up and take the blows he felt and lift the cross he carried for all of us.
Pax
[1] After 04/07
[2] The Image presented today is a holy card the artist is unknown
[3] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc.© 1968
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