Reflection on Today’s Readings, Tuesday of 5th Week of Lent, April 5th, 2022
Texts: Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm102: 1 -2.15-20; John 8:21-30
Jesus Christ told the people, in today’s gospel reading, that where he was going, we could not come. Let us ask the question, “why can't we come?” The challenge Jesus throw at us is the challenge of unworthiness. He challenges us that we are not worthy to come; we lack what it takes to follow Him. From His words we know that He is going to where He came from; He is returning to the Father. We cannot come because we cannot follow Him; for He is the Way. He has chosen the way of the cross to return to the Father and we do not want to carry cross. He says, “If anyone wants to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34). When our ways are not His way, how can we come where He is going? When we choose His ways, then we can come where He is going.
We cannot come where He is going because we are not ready to give up our sins. In the gospel reading, He says, “I go away, and you will seek me and die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” He wants us to give up our sins that we may come where He is going. The path that leads to where He is going is the path of holiness. We cannot come where He is going because we have no faith in Him. In the gospel reading, He says, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.” Unless we believe He is God, we cannot come where He is going. He says to His disciples, those who believe in Him, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3).
Today’s first reading reminds us of when the people of God lost faith in Him. When they lost faith in Him, they could not follow Him where was leading them. It is said of them thus: “From Mount Hor the Hebrews set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.’” God also punished them on account of their sin. Some of them did die in their sin. We cannot follow God with sin. God gave the bronze serpent hung on a tree as a remedy for their sin. This bronze serpent looked towards Jesus Christ. This is clear in the words of Jesus Christ in today’s gospel reading: “So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.’ As he spoke thus, many believed in him.” Jesus Christ redeems us by His passion; by His passion and death, He delivered us from the power of sin and death.
Grant us, we pray, O Lord, perseverance in obeying your will, that in our days the people dedicated to your service may grow in both merit and number. Amen (Collect)
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
