VINDICATION FROM TERROR

Meditation for Friday of the 5^th Week of Lent

(Jer 20:10-13; Jn 10:31-42)

The tension is rising! The hour of Jesus is closer at hand, and the gang up against Him is thickening. The prophet Jeremiah captures the mood of the moment in the first reading. “I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side! ‘Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’ say all my familiar friends, watching for my fall.” Jeremiah’s ordeal was fulfilled in Jesus, who faced such fierce opposition from the Jews. The prophet entrusted the situation to God, who vindicated him and his accusers ended up in dishonour.

While some believed Jesus, the anger of those who opposed Him superseded.  It is difficult for one to reject Jesus and still remain neutral about Him; they all end up persecuting Him. So those who would not accept Jesus as the Son of God took up stones to throw at Him. Jesus began to explain to them how the Scriptures and His works bore witness that He is the Messiah, the Son of God. He told them that if the works are not of the Father, then they should not believe him. But if they recognize the works as coming from God, even though they do not believe in Him, “Believe the works that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” By performing works that only God can do, like raising Lazarus from death, is a self-evident proof that Jesus is divine.

After all the explanations, the Jews tried again to arrest Him, but He escaped from their hands.  After this, many people believed in Him. His adversaries were covered with shame, but they continued to re-strategize on how to arrest Him. So when we are surrounded by enemies, bound tight by tension, fear, temptation and sin, let us quickly surrender to Jesus. He is our Vindicator! We do this by focusing our God-given responsibilities of the day, and living out the will of God for us in every situation. This was how Jesus conquered His adversaries by focusing on the works of the Father. In His name we too shall be vindicated. Amen.

 
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Friday March 26^th, 2021.
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