5th Monday of Lent, 14th March 2016
“I am the Light of the world ; anyone who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Dn.13,1..62 Ps.22 Jn.8,12-20
“Once again Jesus spoke to the Jews : ’I am the Light of the world ; anyone who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ At this, the Pharisees said to him, ’You are testifying on my behalf, my testimony is still true, because I know where I have come and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.”
Jesus gives us this definition of Himself : “I am the Light of the world” and this fills people who, alike ourselves, seek a meaning in life and who want to follow him despite their imperfections.
Jesus’ Person, life and teachings are a Light that enlightens all of our existence, in good times as well as during those times of suffering and of contradictions.
The Apostle Saint John helps us to comprehend the Mystery of the Incarnate Word.
In the Gospel we see how contestation arises concerning Jesus and it gets harsher and harsher!
It is indeed necessary to have faith in the Incarnation of Jesus as the Son of God, in the Divinity of Jesus, which Mary makes known to us .
The origins of Jesus, true man and true God, make us know his true origins.
In order to enter into the Word which is given to us today, we need to come back to our Christian existence, to the origins of our faith.
“You judge by human standards ; I judge no one but if I judge, my judgement will be true, because I am not alone : the One who sent me is with me; and in your Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.I testify on my own behalf, but the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf too”
The Word of God reveals the tensions around Jesus, he calls himself ’Son of God’, and this really is what is at stake in the combat that is going on.
’If I ever do judge, my judgement is true since because I am not alone,’ He said. ’I have my Father who sent me.’
It is not easy to hear this : I know where I come from and where I’m going, said Jesus who comes from the Father!
We seek in the Gospel the response to our daily questions.
Whatever we are living, whatever the circumstances we find ourselves to be in, : work, relationships with others, relationships with God, joys and pains, we seek what Jesus would do in our situation ; we like to tcome back to the origins of our faith in Jesus.
Mary, who conceived his Son in faith, before conceiving in his flesh, is the only one who can say the mystery of our Christian life!
We need to retain these Words, meditate for a long time in our heart and to adhere to it in order to discover our origins in Faith : ’ Show us the Father.“This is the mystery! Where is the Father? The Father has sent his Son in the world so that He may give Life.”The Pharisees asked him ’Where is your Father then?’ Jesus answered : ’You do not know me, nor do you know my father; if you did know me you would know my Father as well.’ He spoke these words in the Treasury, while teaching in the Temple. No one arrested him because his hour had not yet come."
How is it that around Jesus, who does so much good, so much hatred is gathered?
We want to become attentive to this mystery by affirming the Credo with great faith.
In the world we run the risk of no longer understanding the beauty of the Mystery of Jesus. In his condemnation, the Pharisees say ’ ’He spoke of Himself as being the Son of God!"
To follow Jesus on his Paschal way, we need to understand the reason for which Jesus was put to death : it is about the mystery of the Incarnation, of the coming of God in the flesh. ’I, said Jesus, I know where I have come from.’
After the Passion he will be raised to stand amongst the living. He will rise in order to place us into Life.
We declare that Jesus has gone up to the Father. Jesus is the Light ; whoever follows Him ’will not walk in darkness, he will have the Light of Life.’
Jesus invites us too to be a Light for the world ; to bear the Light of hope amidst violence, mistrust and fear of our brothers and sisters ; to carry the light of faith amidst obscurity, doubts and interrogations ; to carry the light of love amidst so many lies, bitterness and passions.
The Eucharist has us find once more the Mystery of the Incarnation : ’He came, He suffered, he died, he is risen, He will come again.’
It really is the Body of Christ born of the Virgin Mary who has us enter into the divine life offered up for us. This is how God’s people walks forward in faith.
The Holy Spirit enlightens our intelligences and the reality of the Mystery of the Incarnation is found to be enlightened by Faith.
As we enter onto our spiritual path we need first of all to have adhered to the Mystery of Jesus, in order to take into account the Mystery of the Incarnation.
We ask for the grace to be converted, to go back to our origins.
MONDAY of 5th WEEK of LENT, year ’B’
"And Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. at daybreak he appeared in the Temple again; and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them.The scribes and Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in the middle they said to Jesus,
’Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and in the Law Moses has ordered us to stone women of this kind. What have you got to say?’ They asked him this as a test, looking for an accusation to use against him.“Jesus looks at this women standing alone before him! This reflects the misery of mankind faced before God’s mercy. Our heart needs to be transformed so as to become a heart full of tenderness, compassion and mercy. This poor sinful woman is identified with the sin of mankind. Adultery is when we are considered as”adult“, as if we know what to do without God.”Adult“to go beyond, I know what to do without God! This what this adulterous men were doing with Suzanne, the innocent woman in the first reading, she who had been unfairly condemned. But God had brought forward this small child, Daniel, ready to confront the Council! He was listened to and thanks to him this women was saved. The one who accuses day and night, as the Apocalypse says, is ever at work.”But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. As they persisted with their question, he straightened up and said,’ let the one among you who is guiltless be the first to throw a stone against her."
Opposite this woman is the Saviour,the Merciful and Compassionate One.We need to turn towards him, Jesus, and clothe our heart with the same feelings he has in his heart. He is good to us.It is very surprising when we meditate this word of God, it is a powerful therapy, Salvation is offered to us. God’s Word is full of life.
At first Jesus is before these men, the Pharissees.He knows very well that what is in their sinful and violent hearts. They have nothing to do with this woman, even though she be adulterous, they just want to trap him.This is what their biggest sin is. Knowing this, Jesus will show them great Mercy.Behind their nice manners and disguises, they set themselves up as just men! This just hides the fact of their poverty and sinfulness : another aspect of a two-faced humanity.
" Then he bent down and continued writing on the ground. When they heard this they went away one by one, continuing with the eldest, until the last one had gone, and Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained n the middle. Jesus again straightened up and said, ’Woman, where are they? Has no-one condemned you? ’ ’ No-one , Sir’ she replied, ’ Neither do I condemn you’ said Jesus, ’Go away and from this moment, sin no more.’
Out of mercy towards them, Jesus gets out of the trap by tracing mysterious words on the ground, as if he were biding his time. The go on insisting, probably a little calmed down. Jesus, the Light and the Truth, just says to them : ’He who is guiltless, be the one to throw the first stone.’ Here we see Jesus’ Mercy towards these intelligent , learnèd men who are hypocritical Pharisees, in charge of the people. Jesus gave them a lesson. It is a grace given to them by Jesus, having them get out of this perilous situation. Faced with this woman, he says to her “Woman, has no-one condemned you? You are no longer in danger of dying, no longer accused? Nor do Iaccuse you. Go, but from now on, sin no more.” All these accusers must disappear, for there is only one accuser, the prince of the world.