THE TRIUMPH OF THE RIGHTEOUS

                  REFLECTION FOR FRIDAY OF THE 4^TH WEEK OF LENT YEAR A

                                         (Wis 2:1, 12-22; Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30)

Like the virus that tries to destroy human body, so does evil feed on the good. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom explains this. “Let us lie in wait for the righteous man because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions...” light and darkness cannot go together. Evil intent manifests itself on the good, i.e. it is when confronted by the good that evil exhibits its characteristics. In today’s reading, we see the unique way in which righteousness confronts evil: Silence! ‘Silence’ is the vital power with which the good moves and evil is shaken! While evil gangs up and attacks, the righteous silently focuses on his good ways. The mere existence of the good is the death of evil. “He became to us a reproof of our thoughts; the very sight of him is a burden to us, because his manner of life is unlike that of others.  

 

“And light shines in darkness, and darkness could not overpower it” (Jn 1:5). Evil intoxicates and blindfolds. With its noisy uproar, it cannot hear the sound of silence in which the good speaks. Evil intent is always short-sighted. It cannot perceive the eternal hope for the wages of holiness, nor discern the prize of blameless life.

Thus, Jesus continued to move about freely though the Jewish authorities had ganged up against him and concluded He must die. “Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him!” The strength of the Good is in the freedom it enjoys. Its mere presence is the absence of evil. So Jesus continues to teach in the synagogues... Such freedom exposes the futility and self-defeat of evil intent. Thus the evil planners must increase their efforts in order to avoid self-destruction and shame. “The wicked man sees and is angry, grinds his teeth and fades away. The desires of the wicked will lead to doom” (Ps 112:10-11).

“So they sought to arrest Him; but no one laid hands on him, because His hour had not yet come.” Till then, the freedom of the good will continue to aggravate the plot of the evil of ones, just as the presence of Jesus angered the Jewish authorities. They tried to take Him at their own time, thereby subjecting Him to their evil intent. But Jesus’ triumph—and the victory of the good—is already evident since all will happen at His hour. Then, what is done with malice will be received with freedom; love will triumph over hatred, good will overcome evil.

At this trying moment, and in this season of lent, let us stand at the Hour of Jesus, where we increase our capacity for good and the freedom that dispels evil.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Friday, March 27, 2020.