Readings:
Wisdom 2:1,12-22
John 7:1-2,10,25-30
Reflection:
The Gospel finishes by explaining that “his [Jesus’] time/hour had not yet come” (John 7:30). The audience may wonder what Jesus’ ‘hour’ is and what happens when the ‘hour’ comes. The simple answer is the ‘hour’ of the Passion occurs during the last hours of Jesus’ physical life on earth.
However, the ‘hour’, according to John, does not stop with his death but extends to the Resurrection. One of the testimonies for this is Jesus’ words to Mary Magdalene: “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17). This notion reminds us that Jesus is always with us and the Gospel should be reflected in the light of the Resurrection.
When the ‘hour’ has not come, Jesus is with us in secret. Even though Jesus’ life is in danger (John 7:1), he tries to be with people, but not publicly (John 7:10). Then, Jesus starts to cry out when people recognise him. In the light of Resurrection, we know Jesus, the Christ Crucified; we know where he is from and who sent him, the Father. Unfortunately, the Jews do not know this and try to arrest him.
Do we, Jesus’ followers, acknowledge that Jesus is always with us and longing for us secretly? Or do we still act like the Jews in the Gospel, who were not living in the light of Resurrection and cannot recognise Jesus and, even worse, against him?
May the hour of Jesus come and shed light on our journey of Lent to the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
JD Tân T CP is a Vietnamese Passionist who lives and studies further at the Holy Cross Retreat, Templestowe.