Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Lectionary: 249

Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said,

"This is truly the Prophet."

Others said, "This is the Christ."

But others said, "The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?

Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David's family

and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?"

So a division occurred in the crowd because of him.

Stories of ancient cities often describe the power of rumor and the ways they affect events. We're all familiar with the impact of mass communications today, but we should understand the "grapevine" was just as effective in an ancient metropolis as today's electronic media. 

All four Gospels describe a city in turmoil as Jesus arrived there, several days before the feast of Passover. On Sunday the citizens turned out in nearly unanimous welcome; by Friday they were demanding his crucifixion. Clearly neither law, civility nor common sense could control the feverish emotions of that week. The situation, we can imagine, was changing by the hour. 

We know something of that mercurial uncertainty as we watch the turmoil in Trump's Washington. Shakespeare portrayed the convulsions in Rome after Julius Caesar was murdered. Given what we know of Nazi and Stalinist purges and the Terror in Paris in 1793-94, it's not hard to imagine the insanity that engulfed Jerusalem.  

However, the Gospels recognize a deeper reality; they see the Hand of God in this drama. Jesus is clearly the sacrificial victim; his death is just as certain as the nightfall despite whatever efforts some might make -- Nicodemus, Pontius Pilate, Peter and John -- to avert the killing. Jesus is certainly not stoical as he suffers arrest, condemnation, torture and death, but he understands what no one else can see -- that the Lord of History has determined the outcome. 

If there is any comedy in this drama it is the efforts of the actors to make sense of it all. In today's gospel we hear the citizens arguing about Jesus' origins. Perhaps the playwright, Saint John, is winking at the Christians who are familiar with Matthew, Mark and Luke with the reference to Bethlehem. They're half-right, but they really don't know that he comes from God. They're arguing the Catechism when they should be pondering the Word. In any case, neither the soldiers, nor the crowds, nor the disciples nor the magistrates know what to make of this moment in time. When they have lived through it a few will be given understanding. 

Lent draws us into the mysterious drama of Holy Week. We will join the congregation that obediently declares, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" on Sunday morning and Friday afternoon. We should know what the Catechism tells about this drama. And we pray to see what the Lord reveals to us.