The Threat of Jesus

Gospel: John 7: 1-2, 10, 25-30

In the Gospel of John the plot against Jesus starts from the very beginning of his public life.  As we see in today's Gospel, Jesus is forced to enter Jerusalem secretly for festivals, keeping his ministry largely in Galilee.  What threat does Jesus pose to the religious and secular powers of the world?  

The law commanded Israel to care for the outcast, marginalized, and the foreigner.  Throughout history prophets were sent to remind the people of this obligation, all of them being vilified and executed.  Those in power do not want to be reminded of the existence of the outcast and marginalized and their obligation to care for them.  For it is those in power who have created the existence of outcasts and marginalized peoples.  

Jesus comes in the prophetic tradition and directly ministers to those on the margins, outsiders, and foreigners.  As with the prophets of old, this ministry stings the conscience of those in power, as it should to us as well.  Those in Jesus' day chose to silence the voice of the holy one through execution rather than repent.  Lent is our call to choose the road not taken - to take the road of repentance rather than the well-worn path of denial and silencing through violence.  We repent by taking part in the works of love, mercy, and compassion to those on the margin, following the example of Jesus.