The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me? The Jews answered, It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God. Jesus answered,
If I am not doing the works of my Father, and then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.
Jn 10, 31-33, 37-38
Jesus was telling the Jews to judge him by his works. If they could not accept his words and the language he used to explain his relationship to the Holy One, then he directed them to recognize Gods work in him. The Jews were unable to see what was in front of them in part because they could not suspend judgment that was a reaction to Jesus words long enough to consider his life and his actions.
How often do we react negatively when someones speech challenges what we have been taught and what we believe without considering the person standing in front of us? Not taking into consideration his or her life and work? We have seen extreme examples of this behavior recently during the debate and vote on the healthcare act that passed the US Senate today. People were quick to judge and attach labels, sometimes hateful, to those who disagreed with their position. The focus became the defeat of the opposing party rather than fixing a broken healthcare system.
Jesus claim to be Gods son was repulsive and offensive to many of the Jews. We can understand their dilemma: They knew this man and where he had come from. How could he be Gods son, and how could he have the audacity to ask them to believe such an impossibility? Words could not convince. In todays reading, even actions did not suffice.
We might judge Jesus contemporaries harshly, wondering how they could possibly want to stone the Son of God who was living a live of peace and compassionate love as well as healing the sick and feeding the hungry in their midst. Before we do, lets look at our own track record of responding to people in our midst who do good works and strive to live in a way that will foster peace and understanding. What if that person is homosexual? What if she is an illegal immigrant? Perhaps the man who volunteers at the soup kitchen or who works at a low paying job that serves the poor in our communities has done time in prison? What if the one who volunteers at the local afterschool center is a devout Muslim or the transsexual who organizes clothing drives or helps stock the food pantry is an atheist.
How do we react to these people, all children of God? We are called to remember Jesus words and recognize Gods work in people we are tempted to write off or ignore: If I am not doing the works of my Father, and then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.
© 2010 Mary van Balen
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