Greetings on this the Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Readings: Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 102:2-3, 16-18, 19-21; John 8:21-30
Summary
Prefiguring the Cross of Jesus
So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,
“Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,
and whoever looks at it after being bitten will live.”
The I Am – the Saraph – derived from the purifying fire of Isaiah 6 – on the pole
So Jesus said to them,
“When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM.
(See also Jn 3:14-15 – And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. And, Jn 3:12, 32, 34)
Reflection
So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning.
I have much to say about you in condemnation.
But the one who sent me is true,
and what I heard from him I tell the world.”
O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you (102:2).
Personal Reflection
Who can stand under the withering judgment of Jesus in regards to His Person, the Truth and the Father? Each error we make (sinning against one another) is a reflection of how we truly feel about Jesus. But for his love and mercy the criticism would be most severe.
But thanks be to God that is not the path we choose nor the one the Lord desires for us. He hears our prayer and he sees our anguish of our cry.
When teaching the OCIA Elect about Holy Week I make mention of the dialogical liturgy – entering into the passion of Jesus. We may hesitate when speaking our roles but these are precisely the reason Jesus came. We do indeed sin with other Kings and we do crucify Jesus with our sins.
We have no King but Caesar.
Crucify him!
The purpose is to ‘confess’ together our need and the truth of our situation.
Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032426.cfm
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry