Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/033012.cfm

Christ the Judge
in the
National Shrine
of the Immaculate
Conception

...can you say that the one
whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world
blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God?'

Holy Week nears and our daily readings describe increasing tension as Jesus' enemies close in on him. But the Gospel of John insists that Jesus is never the victim of his enemies. The entire death and resurrection of Jesus is wasted upon us if we do not understand these words:

This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.”

Anyone who blames "the Jews" for the death of Jesus misunderstands the Gospel completely. Though he might call himself a Christian, he has placed himself outside of Christ's saving work. 


In today's Gospel Jesus states clearly, "I am the Son of God." By doing so he draws up his own death certificate. By raising Lazarus from the dead, he will sign it. 


In this Gospel he also makes his claim upon his disciples. Do you believe this, or not? Saint John concludes this chapter with:

He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, "John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true."

And many there began to believe in him. 

Lent is a "season" of repentance, a window of opportunity; it leads us to "the hour" which has been anticipated since the beginning of time. When that hour comes, we will make our choice. After that, for the undecided, there will be only weeping and wailing.