Attacks
Jesus is being attacked relentlessly by the Pharisees and scribes. The more He tries to explain who He is the angrier they become and are filled with hatred.
One primary in the Gospel of John is that Jesus is the light of the world, come into the world. In our human condition, we tend toward darkness, sometimes preferring the darkness to the light. Jeremiah prophecies that the Just One will be tormented and falsely accused.
When we read this passage, we can immediately think of Jesus. What about you? Have you been falsely accused? Have you gone through such torment? Probably not to the extent of Jesus but we know what that kind testing is. It is one thing to worry about the things in the world, another to have friends and family be your accusers. You trust the people you love to be your support. But even when family and friends become your adversaries, we have today’s psalm to support us. We can call out to Jesus. He will always hear your voice.
Perhaps there is another teaching from the readings we should take with us today. It is bad enough to have to go through the torments listed. We would not wish that anyone, not even our worst enemy. And if that is true, let us do a quick self-examination. Is it possible we are the tormentors, the accusers, those seeking to harm others?
We only need look at our sins. Does our pride prevent us from stepping down to help the marginalized? Does our anger prevent us from loving our enemy? Does our lust keep us from treating others with dignity and respect?
I believe that the sin of gossip is probably our worst sin currently in our lives. We argue about politics constantly. Our arguments are not of the kind to make a change but for us to criticize and degrade and destroy people. We become the tormentors. The issue of politics is out of our control. Then why spiral into gossip about it. Set your arguments aside today, work on being virtuous.
May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen